These subs can travel 10,000 miles without refueling. More than 400 people have been arrested in the operation, which deprived the drug cartels out of more than $8.4 billion.

Smuggling cocaine from South America to Australia is particularly lucrative, as a kilogramme of the illegal drug can fetch up to $240,000 (£190,000) there - six times more than in the US, Colombian security forces said.

The Colombian Navy announced it intercepted six “narco subs” containing more than $8 billion worth of drugs in an international mission involving 62 nations, of which the United States was included, that was conducted over a six-week span.

The discovery of a semi-submersible vessel carrying cocaine in the Pacific was part of a global six-week operation against drug smugglers.View on euronews

A semi-submersible packed full of cocaine is the latest of a number to be seized in the Pacific Ocean.

Columbian authorities have cracked down on drug mule pirates who are transporting Class A substances to Australia – their biggest and most lucrative cocaine consumers