Mexico navy seizes nearly 1 ton of cocaine and 10 tons of meth in two operations

Reuters: Mexican marines on Tuesday (August 21) said they seized nearly 1 ton of cocaine in 599 packages on board a speedboat in Guerrero, home to the resort city of Acapulco on Mexico's Pacific coast. Four Mexican men traveling on the vessel were arrested. During routine surveillance, marines spotted the speedboat, located approximately 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers), southwest of Casa de Piedra, when an aircraft of the Mexican Navy sighted a boat with suspicious cargo. Marines deployed vessels, two aircraft, and Marine Infantry personnel for its interception and seizure. Meanwhile, Mexican marines on Tuesday (August 21) said they seized some 10 tons of methamphetamine at a loading site outside the capital of Sinaloa state. The drugs were stored in sacks. Also seized were plastic containers of the chemicals used to produce meth as well as a dump truck. The drugs were incinerated on site due to the difficult access to the remote location, the Navy ministry said. Mexico is a major supplier of methamphetamine to the United States and it is the top source of heroin, which is fuelling a surge in opioid addiction. The country is also the principal highway for cocaine trafficked north. Sinaloa is the seat of the powerful cartel formerly run by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who is facing trial in the United States later this year.