The Ecuadorian Navy said in a statement that on Tuesday they found a total of 1,427 packages of cocaine weighing almost 3,000 pounds in the water. The cocaine had been submerged in the ocean and was marked by buoys.
The drugs are believed to have been intended for Mexico, authorities said. The packages were taken to the port of San Cristobal on the Galapagos Islands for further investigation.
The Navy added that the drugs were likely dropped by drug traffickers in an attempt to avoid detection by authorities.
This is not the first time Ecuador has run into drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean. In the past, the country has encountered drug shipments from Colombia, which is a major cocaine producer.
Ecuador is an important gateway for drug trafficking from South America to the rest of the world. The country has seen an increase in drug-related events in recent years, including seizures of illicit drugs.
The discovery of the $300 million cocaine shipment serves as a reminder of the increasing drug trade in the Pacific Ocean and the need for authorities to stay vigilant against drug trafficking networks. It also highlights the importance of international collaboration between nations to combat the illicit trade in drugs.