CBP Crew Tracked Semi-Submersible Boat

There's a reason the US Customs and Border Protection agency snaps up P-3 Orion submarine-hunter surveillance planes when they're finished with their service in the US Navy. This week, a CBP Orion crew participated in the successful capture of four smugglers, and 11 bales of cocaine, off a semi-submersible boat.

ABC News reports the P-3's crew started tracking a suspect vessel Monday, during a routine patrol of the Pacific Ocean. The aircraft, based in Jacksonville, first came across the sub approximately 300 miles southwest of the border between Mexico and Guatemala.

"The P-3 aircraft then guided a US Navy ship to the scene as the suspects scuttled the vessel along with the majority of the contraband aboard," a CBP statement said. 

Officials with the US Coast Guard -- the agency tasked with making the actual seizure -- said the submersible ship may have had as much as five metric tons of cocaine onboard before it was deliberately sunk. The USCG only recovered a small part of that -- 11 bales, containing 1,210 pounds of coke -- but then again, it's not as though the remainder of the haul is recoverable.

The CBP's Office of Air and Marine maintains the agency's fleet of turboprop P-3 Orions, which first entered service in 1962. Several nations around the world -- including the US -- still fly the land-based, long range anti-submarine warfare (ASW) patrol aircraft.

CBP's Orions are based at Corpus Christi, TX and Cecil Field in Jacksonville, according to ABC. The planes are also flown by CBP in Central and South America.

FMI: www.cbp.gov