Major cocaine seizure from supply ship off El Salvador

Crew members are detained on a vessel stern ramp under guard 

SAN SALVADOR — El Salvador’s navy intercepted an offshore supply vessel more than 700 km off the country’s coast and seized 6.6 tonnes of cocaine, President Nayib Bukele announced, calling the operation the largest blow to drug trafficking in the nation’s history.

Raid and seizure

The Tanzanian‑flagged FMS Eagle, a 1,200‑dwt offshore supply ship built in 1982, was boarded after being located beyond normal AIS range. Specialised divers reportedly discovered packages concealed in ballast tanks and secret compartments. The government released a video showing divers inspecting tanks and narcotics laid out on the ship’s deck.

President Bukele estimated the street value of the haul at about US$165 million, describing the interception as “another historic operation that shakes up organised crime.”

Crew detained

Ten crew members were detained and photographed kneeling on the stern ramp under armed guard. Authorities identified the detainees as four Colombians, three Nicaraguans, two Panamanians, and one Ecuadorian. All ten were arrested during the operation and are in custody as investigations continue.

Vessel details and anomalies

Public records on the FMS Eagle are limited. The ship had reportedly been out of AIS range for 12 days before the boarding. Equasis listings show the flag as unknown, and no recent port state control safety inspections appear in the database. Some registry data suggests the vessel may be owned and operated from the United States, but authorities are expected to probe ownership and operational links as part of the inquiry.

Regional context

The El Salvador operation mirrors a recent South Pacific seizure in which authorities recovered nearly 4.87 tonnes of cocaine from a vessel bound for Australia. That earlier raid involved a helicopter boarding and produced similar imagery of packages displayed on a ship’s rear deck. International law enforcement agencies, including the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force, publicly praised the South Pacific operation.

Next steps

El Salvadoran investigators will examine the FMS Eagle’s voyage history, communications, and ownership records to trace the supply chain and identify networks behind the shipment. Prosecutors may press charges against the detained crew while coordinating with international partners to pursue wider criminal links.

President Bukele framed the raid as evidence of the Salvadoran Navy’s enhanced capacity to disrupt transnational trafficking far from shore and reiterated his administration’s commitment to regional anti‑narcotics efforts.

El Salvador’s navy; FMS Eagle cocaine seizure 2026; President Bukele