Operation Tiburon

Counterdrug operation

Operation Tiburon

Part of War on Drugs
| Date| November 1980 – February 5, 1982

|

Location|

Colombia

Result|

Temporary disruption of marijuana trafficking

* Over 400 traffickers arrested
* More than 90 vessels seized
* 6.4 million pounds of marijuana confiscated

Belligerents

United States

* US Coast Guard
* US Customs Service
* Drug Enforcement Administration

Colombia

* Colombian Armed Forces
* Colombian National Police

* Marijuana traffickers
* Drug cartels
Commanders and leaders
William French Smith|  Unknown

Operation Tiburon, (Tiburon (es:Tiburón) is Spanish for "Shark,") was a coordinated counterdrug operation between three different US agencies – Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), US Coast Guard, US Customs Service – and Colombian authorities, resulting in the seizure of approximately 6.4 million pounds of marijuana coming from Colombia, about 20% of the total amount that enter the United States annually.[1] Of the total, 4.7 million were confiscated by the Colombian government while the remaining 1.7 million were done by US personnel.[2] The operation concluded on February 5, 1982, when US Attorney General William French Smith announced "the most successful international marijuana interdiction effort to date" at Coast Guard headquarters.[2] Along with the pot seized, 495 people were arrested and 95 vessels were seized.[3]

Conducted in a 14-month-long period involving three raids, the operation is considered to be the most successful counterdrug operation to date, with record seizures as of 1982.[4] The Attorney General commended the operation as a "classic example" of how successful collaboration between different agencies and governments is key to tackling large-scale drug trafficking operations.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "'Shark' operation snares 6.4 millions of pounds of pot – UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
2. ^ a b Upi (1982-02-05). "COLOMBIA AIDS U.S. IN A DRUG SEIZURE". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
3. ^ a b "The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 1980–1985" (PDF).
4. ^ "Most successful counter-drug operation". Guinness World Records.