Mexico’s Navy (Secretaría de Marina, or Semar) has announced a sharp rise in cocaine interdictions at sea, reporting that the volume of the drug seized so far in 2026 already exceeds by 47.2% the total amount confiscated during all of 2025.
According to the report, naval forces have stepped up patrols and surveillance operations across international waters, part of a broader strategy to intercept drug shipments before they reach Mexican shores. Cocaine trafficked through maritime routes typically originates in South American producing countries and moves northward toward Mexico and, ultimately, the United States, the world’s largest consumer market for the drug.
Officials credit the increase to expanded intelligence-sharing, more frequent deployments of naval vessels and aircraft, and closer coordination with other security agencies. The figures underscore how much of the cocaine trade still relies on ocean routes, even as traffickers also use land and air corridors.
The report did not specify the exact tonnage seized or provide a breakdown by region, but the jump in percentage terms suggests either a substantial increase in trafficking activity, more effective detection methods, or both.
For the full details and figures from Mexico’s Navy, read the original report at jornada.com.mx.
Source: En lo que va del año, Marina aseguró 47.2% más cocaína en altamar que en todo 2025 (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: infomatique, BY-SA 2.0 (via Openverse).