Submarine drone for drug smuggling with Starlink antenna
The Colombian navy has confiscated an unmanned submarine suspected of smuggling drugs. It was networked via Starlink.
The unloaded submarine drone was grounded off Santa Marta.
(Image: Armada Nacional de la RepĂşblica de Colombia, Bearbeitung: heise online)
This week, the Colombian navy seized an unmanned submarine off the country's coast that was presumably built for drug smuggling. This was reported by several news agencies and US television stations, citing the navy. The special feature of this submarine drone: a Starlink antenna was mounted on its deck.
As Colombia's naval forces told CBS News, it is suspected that this is a new strategy of the drug cartels. Because the private construction and operation of submarines in the country is punishable by up to 14 years in prison for drug trafficking, the cartels are said to be increasingly focusing on unmanned boats. These, so far without much remote control, are built in veritable shipyards in the jungle. However, no drugs were found on board the boat that has now been discovered and the authorities suspect that it was a test run. The design is said to have allowed a payload of around 1.5 tons.
Not submarines in the conventional sense
These "narco subs" are not usually fully submersible boats, but are only very deep in the water depending on their cargo. This is often enough to prevent them from being detected by any radar in the waves. It therefore seems feasible to keep the Starlink antenna dry, at least temporarily, to ensure reception. The devices are weatherproof anyway, and wear and tear caused by salt water should not play a role in drug trafficking profits.
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It is not clear from the reports whether the new drone was at least temporarily submersible, which was already the case with narco-subs. It is also not yet known how the boat was to be controlled via the internet. The Central American drug cartels have already crossed the Pacific and the Atlantic with manned submarines in recent years. The Colombian boat is not the first Starlink-controlled smuggling drone. As France24 reports, in November, Indian authorities seized a ship off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that was also unmanned and controlled by Starlink.
(nie)
