Ever Seen The Coast Guard Pull Over A Drug Smuggling Submarine?

In the glorious decade of excess cocaine was the drug of choice across the country. And in the 80's, nobody did cocaine like Columbia. It had humble beginnings as a medicinal miracle ever since the 16th century, but really didn't come into its own until the late 19th century in America. There was coke in everything from cough syrup to Coca Cola. But by 1914, the government passed the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act, making it illegal to possess cocaine unless prescribed by a doctor. Oddly enough, it's still legal to be prescribed, but I'd be shocked if any modern doctors still do.

Anyway, before we hop too far off subject, we're talking about illegal cocaine and the 80's. After a crack-down on shipments making it to the states by truck and small planes, the Medillin Cartel was looking for a better way to get their cash crop into the United States.  Enter the power boat!

Think of Miami Vice. Those huge Scarab boats sporting triple and quad 300+ horsepower outboards or dual V8 blown inboard motors, skating across the water at speeds above 70MPH... They were faster than anything the Coast Guard and DEA authorities had, at least for a while. When those agencies stepped up their game to seek and destroy those fast coke-boats, the cartels came up with the idea of submarines by the time the 80's came to an end.

While it wasn't confirmed that drug runners were smuggling product to our shores by these little single-use subs until 2006, they had a suspicion about it throughout the nineties. So much so, they called them 'Bigfoot Boats' because nobody ever saw one.

Spring forward to the now, and those drug agencies have it down to a science. Routinely capturing drug subs throughout the year. More than one each week... but there's no telling how many get through either.

As you can see, it looks like a pretty intense process. You have to board a traveling vessel without being lost to Davy Jones Locker yourself.

If you're curious what the officer is yelling at the sub in transit, he's pleading with them to stop their boat. Just an FYI, because I was wondering too.