Original subtitles

On this episode of Drug Wars.

Hashtag Mosquito.

Mosquito, aye, sir.

Red Stinger, object.

A look back at the busts of Operation Martillo.

This guy's got a beach here pretty soon, isn't he?

From the U .S. Navy and Coast Guard to Panamanian and Colombian forces.

To undercover agents and informants.

The war on drugs is now in its fifth decade. America's public enemy number

the United States is drug abuse.

Fueled by consumers in the United States, it continues to generate

the cartels.

For three months, Fusion embedded with the men and women fighting the modern

-day war on drugs.

And they gave us an unprecedented look inside a new international anti

-narcotics operation called Marfilla, The Ham.

While we were there...

The operation sees $400 million worth of pure cocaine.

This is Drug Ward.

Fusion embedded with the Colombian Navy, or Armada, in one of the busiest ports

for drug exports, Cartagena.

The drug supply chain begins deep in jungle labs and reaches all the way out

the coastal cities.

To keep drugs from leaving their country, the Cartagena Armada works

with its international partners.

It's different in Colombia now than it was 30 years ago.

We have a much better relationship working with the police officers,

with the government. So I think we have made the cost of doing business much

deeper.

Intel from undercover agents and other informants plays a vital role in

Operation Martillo.

This is our geographical position, and we can observe it in the cartography.

Here we have, for example, a privileged position, because we are in the entire

center of the Caribbean. Here we can distribute to Central America, Mexico,

the Caribbean islands, and the distances are short.

Today we have information that a possible drug release, we have a boat to

able to cover this event.

This agent has been working in deep cover for 15 years.

Toledo has become a trusted middleman for the cartel He connects drugs to

overseas clients, then provides intel to U .S. and Colombian authorities.

In this operation in

Cartagena, the Armada is able to act quickly on the intel.

They have a Navy ship, the Once de Noviembre, on hand to coordinate an

intercept boat.

and an American surveillance plane.

I am conducting a new operation.

This is not a drill. I say again, this is not a drill. Target position.

Now we're turning towards the target right now.

Be

advised,

target is on radar.

Off the coast of Cartagena, the Armada intercept both.

Plots a course to surprise the suspects from behind.

The American T -3

plane spots the target.

Intel and Panama on another go fast leads to

a large response by Panamanian troops.

In this case, informants gave up details on a drug shipment from Colombia.

Panamanian troops prepare for a land and sea operation.

Intel says a Colombian Goldfast is headed their way.

A SWAT team gets into position in case the Colombians make it to shore.

Since

they

started dealing with Colombian and Mexican cartels, Panamanian officials

gangs here have become more organized.

and more violent.

The police here rely on a system of street informants to track the gangs and

their drug trafficking.

But according to American officials, these aren't just local problems.

These organizations are destabilizing local communities, cities, and even to

some extent the potential to destabilize countries.

That's why we and all of our partners are engaged in this effort to combat

The helicopter spots a goat bat heading right for the police boats.

The GOPAT turns and heads for shore.

Proceeding to the escape through the area of Chumical. Copy that. Proceeding

the escape.

Copy that. Through the area of the town.

Proceeding to the area of the town.

Proceeding to the town.

In Cartagena, the Americans and Colombians are conducting a joint

after they received intel on a shipment of drugs. Okay, we have a contact on the

IR. It looks like we show a wink.

The P -3 Orion surveillance plane used to hunt Soviet subs during the Cold War.

In the drug war, it scans the ocean for small boats loaded with fuel cans and

drugs.

And in this case, it guides the armada to their target.

But the Armada speedboat is struggling through some rough seas.

But

the

suspects soon spot the Armada boat chasing them and hit full throttle.

Toronto, I have a visual of the boat.

I have a visual.

They made light signals so it stops and doesn't do it.

Barrio, come on.

They're putting the bags, they're putting the bags.

Look at 90 degrees.

Artillery, get ready.

Stop.

The traffickers surrender without a fight.

After reporting to the once de noviembre ship, the officer escorts the suspect

back to port for a full inspection of the apparent drugs found on board.

According to officials, the cartels use the GOPAS and other modes of

transportation for what's known as microtrafficking, that is, smuggling

small amounts of drugs each time.

Mexican cartels buying a kilo from a Colombian lab can pay up to $2 ,500 a

with 90 % purity.

By the time the same kilo hits the streets in the U .S., dealers will have

it at least three or four times, selling each kilo for about $45 ,000, reducing

its purity to about 60%. And crack cocaine has been diluted so much it

just about 10 % pure cocaine.

Fusion embedded with the crew of the USS Rent, another key part of Operation

Martillo. In this case, the crew received intel and are in hot pursuit of

go -fat that is now hours away.

We're going right now, it's going through a long -range intercept.

I'm maneuvering at my maximum speed to an intercept point that we calculated

based on the known position course and speed that's being tracked.

And again, the P -3 surveillance plane operated by the Department of Homeland

Security provides eyes in the sky.

I have a position.

Target is changing course now to 010 and slowing down to about 30 knots.

Rift calculated true wind at 235 at 7 knots.

They're about 115 miles away going 30 knots, so we should close them in around

two hours.

The target is increasing speed now to approximately 40 knots.

We are the front end of the hammer. We stop them out here at sea.

If not, then we drive into the hands of our other forces.

They're going 40 knots.

Continue pushing them to the east.

we're going to be handing off to them here while we're traveling.

Hopefully. Roger, out.

Now, the rents must rely on her helicopter to track the go -fat, but it

easy in the dark of night.

They're going to rent to the halo.

In Panama City, troops chase down a go -path.

the suspect beached their boat and ran.

A case that started as an intercept on sea is now a manhunt through the city

streets.

but the police are tipped off on a possible hideout of the smugglers.

I can't hear you. Report, report, report.

Report, report, report.

Report, Team 1, Team 2. Team 1, Team 2, report.

We're keeping one.

We're keeping one. We're keeping one. Team 1, we're keeping one.

Report.

Commander, we have three subjects here. They surrendered.

We have three weapons recovered.

As for the personnel of the UFET, if you don't see them, commander, copy?

Copy, copy.

Copy, copy.

The men will be taken back to Panama City Police headquarters for processing.

According

to

officials, Panama has become a central highway for Colombian traffickers.

So the police here have seized more drugs than in any other country in

America.

The Rents is now in hot pursuit of a go -fat, carrying a possible load of drugs

worth millions.

If they make it to 12 nautical miles away from land, then we can't follow

anymore. We can't pursue somebody in their territorial waters.

All the Rents needs is for the Colombian Armada to show up before they lose this

bust.

Come to course 030.

Come to course 030. I want you to go over to Alvaro and I want you to

specifically ask if I am authorized to use warning.

But the drug wars are no run -and -gun operation.

Everything, especially the use of deadly force, has to go through chain of

command.

With the Hilo running low on fuel and the territorial

water limit creeping up, the Colombians need to speed up and join the chase as

soon as possible.

Columbia Navy is on intercept course 000.

Suddenly, out of the darkness, the Armada appears on their scope, bearing

on the traffickers at full speed.

From the Hilo. The Hilo has visual on the GOFAST and on the Columbia Control.

The Columbia Control is coming alongside the Target of Interest at this time,

sir.

Target of Interest is coming to all stops, sir.

All right, passage out of south. Columbia Navy is coming alongside Target

Interest and is accepting intercept.

Although these guys got past us.

We kept the chase on. We kept the helicopter on. We kept the lights on

and drove them directly into the front of the Navy.

Weeks later, the Rents finished up her deployment with this large bus, made

possible with assistance from Solid Intel through Operation Martillo.

Martillo has been fairly successful in that it's been able to get 229 metric

tons since off Martillo started.

But even more important than just getting the drug is the synergy that

been able to develop between all the different partner nations in the

operating area.

Get close. He's got him.

He's got him. Go to Dark Cutter Ventures. Go to Dark Cutter Ventures.

A few months after this interview, Fusion learned from a reliable source

Agent Toledo was killed in a drug operation.

He worked for many law enforcement groups, none of whom would either

deny his existence or death.

In the world he inhabited for over 15 years, the truth was always elusive.