Here are the four main drug trafficking routes for transporting cocaine from production centers in South America (Colombia and Ecuador) to U.S. territory via the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Written by: La Tabla/Data Journalism Platform 02 NOV 2025
Criminal organizations have refined four strategic maritime corridors for transporting tons of cocaine from Colombia and Ecuador to U.S. shores. These routes, which are constantly monitored and attacked by U.S. authorities and their regional allies, represent the backbone of maritime drug trafficking in the region.
Route 1: The Darién-Central America Corridor
This route, considered the most used, starts from the mangroves of the Colombian Pacific (Nariño and Cauca departments) and Ecuadorian (Esmeraldas).
Vessels, primarily artisanal semi-submersibles, navigate along the coast to transshipment points in the waters of Panama, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.
From there, the cargo is redistributed onto smaller boats that cross into the Gulf of Fonseca and subsequently into Mexican Pacific, specifically Sinaloa and Baja California, before entering U.S. territory through California or Arizona.
Authorities estimate that 45% of illicit maritime traffic uses this corridor.
Route 2: The Direct Long-Distance Passage
The most audacious and technologically advanced. Sophisticated narco submarines, capable of transporting up to 10 tons of cocaine and navigating fully submerged, depart from remote areas in Colombia and Ecuador to cross directly into the ocean in international waters. Their final destination is secluded California beaches, such as Big Sur, Point Conception, or even Cedros Island in Baja California, Mexico. This route bypasses checkpoints in Central America but requires high-cost vessels and specialized crews. According to reports from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), over 35 of these vessels have been detected and neutralized in the past two years.
Route 3: The Remote Islands Corridor
Less trafficked but strategically important, this route uses oceanic islands as logistical support points. Vessels depart from Ecuador and Colombia toward the Galápagos Islands, Malpelo (Colombia), and Cocos (Costa Rica), where they make tactical waits, refuel, or change crews before continuing north. This route takes advantage of the difficulties in monitoring remote maritime areas and the limited naval presence in these zones. Joint operations between the U.S. Coast Guard and the navies of Ecuador and Costa Rica have intensified surveillance in these critical points.
Route 4: The South Pacific-Mexico Corridor
This alternative route has gained relevance in recent years. It starts from southern Ecuador and northern Peru, navigating parallel to the Central American coast but maintaining itself in international waters until reaching the Mexican Pacific, specifically the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Michoacán. From there, the loads are transported overland to the U.S. border or redistributed onto smaller vessels for the final crossing. This route has become more active due to pressure in traditional corridors and the growing influence of Mexican cartels in transportation logistics.