COLOMBIA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.9 points (October 2026 edition).
- What is happening Colombia announced 2,213 kilos of drugs seized in Caquetá, Cauca and Nariño, with one arrest in Caquetá.
- Why it matters Colombia is a leading cocaine producer and a long-standing US partner in drug enforcement, so large seizures draw attention in Washington.
- The numbers The Navy puts 1,765 kilos of cocaine at over US$81 million. Police seized another 448 kilos of coca base.
- Who is who Abelardo De la Espriella is president. The Navy and National Police made the seizures, with Army support.
- What to watch Whether prosecutors name owners or arrest more suspects, and how the US$81 million figure is calculated.
- What it means for you The seizures show active enforcement, but no suspected drug lords were named, so the effect on supply is unclear.
Colombia’s government announced 2,213 kilos of drugs seized on Tuesday, 3 November. The Navy values its cocaine at more than US$81 million.
Colombia announced on Tuesday, 3 November, that security forces seized 2,213 kilos of drugs in three departments. President Abelardo De la Espriella called it a blow of more than US$81 million to drug-trafficking finances.
That is about 2.2 metric tons, seized in Caquetá in the south and in Cauca and Nariño on the Pacific coast. No suspected drug lords were named, and one person was arrested.
What Was Seized and Where
The National Police seized 448 kilos of coca base in Belén de los Andaquíes, in Caquetá. The drug, an intermediate paste before cocaine, was hidden inside tires mounted on two steel cable spools.
Police arrested one person and immobilised two vehicles. The president detailed this operation himself.
The Navy, with the Army and police, seized 1,175 kilos of cocaine at Boca Grande, in López de Micay, Cauca. Hours later it found 590 kilos at Playa Amarales, in La Tola, Nariño.
How the US$81 Million Figure Works
The Navy said the 1,765 kilos of cocaine are worth more than US$81 million on the international illegal market. It said about 4.4 million doses would not reach consumers.
The president used the same US$81 million figure for the whole operation and spoke of 4.9 million doses. The 448 kilos of coca base are on top, so what the figure covers is not fully clear.
Who the Drugs Belonged To
Colonel Edilberto Restrepo Pérez, acting commander of the Navy’s Fourth Marine Infantry Brigade, attributed the Cauca cocaine to the Jaime Martínez structure. That is a group of FARC dissidents, armed fighters who rejected or left the 2016 peace deal with the former FARC guerrillas.
No arrests were reported in the Navy operations. The president warned that narco-terrorism would be fought “with authority, a firm hand and no truce.”
A Larger Navy Seizure Near Cartagena
The Navy also described a seizure of 3,054 kilos of cocaine on Tuesday, 27 October, on a vacant lot in rural Cartagena. It valued that haul at over US$141 million, and no arrests were reported.
Earlier coverage looked at a seizure of 1,042 kilos on the Meta River. It also covered a raid that detained 13 people.
What It Means for You
US readers follow Colombian seizures because Washington has long backed Colombian drug enforcement. A single seizure does not show a change in supply or prices.
The figures are official estimates of illegal-market value, not what the drugs would sell for at US street prices. Travellers should check the State Department’s Colombia advisory, and the Colombia security guide explains the risks.
More is on the Colombia hub. Readers visiting the coast can use the Cartagena city page.
What Is Not Known
The government has not said who owned the 448 kilos of coca base or named any trafficker. It also has not explained how the US$81 million figure was calculated or whether it includes the coca base.
Only the Caquetá arrest was reported, and the suspect is presumed innocent. No court or prosecutor statement on the seizures was found.
What Comes Next
Prosecutors and police will try to trace the owners and routes behind the shipments. A named suspect or more arrests would be the next confirmed step.
The announcement does not mean a drug lord has been captured. It also does not show how much cocaine still leaves Colombia.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much was seized in Colombia on 3 November?
The government announced 2,213 kilos of drugs: 448 kilos of coca base and 1,765 kilos of cocaine. The seizures were in Caquetá, Cauca and Nariño.
Were any drug lords arrested?
No suspected drug lords were named. One person was arrested in Caquetá, and no arrests were reported in the Navy operations.
Where does the US$81 million come from?
The Navy valued 1,765 kilos of cocaine at more than US$81 million on the illegal market. The president used the same figure for the whole operation.
Who are the FARC dissidents?
They are armed groups that rejected or left the 2016 peace deal with the former FARC guerrillas. A Navy colonel attributed the Cauca cocaine to one of them.
Sources: Colombian presidency, statement by President Abelardo De la Espriella on X (3 November 2026), presidencia.gov.co; Colombian Navy statement on X and brigade commanders’ remarks (3 November 2026) via the Ministry of Defence, mindefensa.gov.co; Colombian National Police, policia.gov.co; US State Department, Colombia travel advisory (accessed 3 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief