36.5 tons of drugs seized under Bukele administration

The Minister of Defense, René Francis Merino Monroy, assured, this Monday, during the presentation of the last two seizures carried out on the high seas by the National Navy, that the total of drugs seized during the presidential administration of Nayib Bukele amounts to 36.5 tons.

The drugs seized in almost 5 years of administration of the current Government have been valued at $898.9 million.

“So far during President Nayib Bukele’s administration, 36.5 tons of different types of drugs have been seized, the majority being cocaine, amounting to $898.9 million,” the official said.

Merino Monroy explained that between January 1 and May 26 of this year, 4.3 tons of drugs have been seized.

“So far in 2024, 4.3 tons of different types of drugs have been seized with a value of $104.8 million, of which 4.2 tons correspond to cocaine,” said the Minister of Defense.

Regarding the last two drug seizures announced by President Nayib Bukele and executed by the National Navy on the high seas, the Minister of Security, Gustavo Villatoro; the Minister of Defense, René Francis Merino Monroy; and the director of the Police, Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, assured that these are the seizures carried out at the greatest distance from the coast. Salvadoran in the history.

The first of the seizures was reported on Saturday, May 18 at 12:03 a.m., 880 nautical miles (1,630 kilometers) southwest of Bocana El Cordoncillo, Estero de Jalteoeque, in La Paz.

The total amount seized was 1.3 tons of cocaine, with an approximate value of $32.5 million.

At that time it was described as the furthest seizure from the coast Salvadoran in the entire history of The Saviorthe previous distance record was 515 nautical miles (972 kilometers), reported on July 1, 2023.

The second was recorded on May 20 at 882 nautical miles (1,633 kilometers) southwest of Bocana El Cordoncillo, Estero de Jaltepeque.

Approximately 1.4 tons of cocaine, valued at $35 million, were transported on said vessel.

This operation represents the furthest drug seizure from the coast Salvadoransin all history, taking away the distance record from the seizure carried out five days before, which was 880 nautical miles (1,630 kilometers).

In both procedures, six detainees were reported.

“This day the National Civil Police is going to announce 6 people who have been detained in two procedures carried out by the national navy, we are talking about that they were carried out in less than 72 hours,” said the director of the Police, Mauricio Arriaza Chicas. .

The detainees are: the Ecuadorian, Miguel Angel López Vásquez, 30 years old; the Colombian Óscar Arturo Torres, 44 years old; the Colombian Jhonson Rentería Cuero, 51 years old; the Mexican Alejandro Trillas López, 28 years old; and the Mexicans Joel Armento Montoya, 54 years old; and Eduardo Contreras Leal, 32 years old.

“These six people join the more than 1,700 that have been captured by the authorities at the regional level,” said Arriaza Chicas.

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