Army seizes cocaine-laden drug plane in Chiapas
When an Army radar system detected a drug plane flying over the state of Chiapas en route from South America, it was able to intercept the plane and safely seize the drugs.
The Mexican Air Force located and secured a drug plane carrying packages of cocaine; the aircraft coming from South America was detected by radars in national territory and landed in the state of Chiapas, where it was seized with its cargo of approximately 340 kg of drugs. The Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) reported that no one was arrested.
The light aircraft flying over the state of Chiapas was intercepted by the protocols of the Regional Interoperability Conference on Airspace Surveillance and Security between Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Aircraft were ordered to take off to intercept the drug plane
The Integrated Air Surveillance System of the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) detected the unidentified aircraft coming from South America, and immediately alerted the Helitransport and Ground Reaction Forces of the Territorial Commands of the Mexican Army; likewise, the Mexican Air Force was ordered to take off two Embraer EMB-145 aircraft, 3 UH-60 helicopters, and 2 T-6C aircraft to follow up on the small drug plane.
Due to radar and visual contact, it was observed that the drug plane landed 14 kilometers southwest of Tres Picos, in the state of Chiapas, where a group of individuals was located, who opted to abandon the alleged illicit cargo and aircraft when they realized the proximity of military personnel.
Alleged perpetrators fled and abandoned the drug plane
A UH-60 helicopter arrived at the site of the clandestine landing, carrying the Helitransport Reaction Force composed of elements of the Mexican Army and Air Force, who established a security perimeter, inspected the aircraft identified by the radars, and conducted reconnaissance of the periphery, locating several packages with an approximate weight of 340 kilograms of a substance with characteristics similar to cocaine.
The aircraft and the seized cocaine were handed over to the Attorney General's Office (FGR), which will confirm the type and quantity of the drug. "These activities were carried out in strict compliance with the rule of law, thus preventing this type of addictive substances from reaching the Mexican youth," said the Sedena in a statement on the seizure of the light aircraft.
