Antofagasta leads drug seizures in Chile with over 26 tonnes in first half of 2026
The northern region of the country registers the largest haul of narcotics in the past four years, in addition to millions of cigarettes brought in illegally.
Antofagasta leads drug seizures in Chile with over 26 tonnes in first half of 2026
During the first six months of the year, Chilean uniformed police succeeded in removing 26,525 kilograms of illicit substances from the black market in the Antofagasta Region. This amount represents the highest figure for the January–June period across the 2022–2026 range. In the same period, agents also confiscated 5.9 million packages of tobacco brought in without paying tariffs, whose estimated commercial value exceeds 16.7 billion local pesos.
Authorities disclosed these figures at a press conference headed by the police institution's top chief, Marcelo Araya Zapata, and the representative of the Public Ministry in the region, Juan Castro Bekios. Both emphasised that the region plays a strategic role as a shield against criminal networks operating in northern South America.
According to Araya Zapata, the total amount of narcotics removed from circulation across the entire national territory reached 45 tonnes during 2026. Of that total, approximately seven of every ten kilograms were seized in Antofagasta's jurisdiction. The senior officer highlighted that this performance stems from the permanent deployment of personnel at border crossings, main roads and hard-to-reach sectors such as La Negra, the Retén Alemania and border zones.
Recent days yielded significant results in the fight against clandestine tobacco trade. One operation was carried out in San Pedro de Atacama, where officers from the territorial vigilance unit inspected a cargo vehicle coming from the neighbouring Andean country. The vehicle carried more than a thousand boxes of cigarettes without the papers required by customs. The individual driving the unit was taken into custody.
In Quillagua, officers from a rural tenancy intercepted another lorry transporting 262,500 containers of foreign tobacco without proof of legal entry into the country. The driver was also handed over to the judicial authorities. A third discovery occurred on the road connecting the north with the country's centre, where agents at Retén Alemania found nearly 50,000 packages hidden in a heavy vehicle. The combined sum of these three interventions exceeds 2.4 billion pesos.
In the same week, police teams seized 1,922 kilograms of psychoactive substances. Prosecutor Castro Bekios attributed these figures to close collaboration between investigative agencies, prevention units and the courts, particularly regarding surveillance of international borders.
The police chief sent a message to the inhabitants of the zone, assuring them that officers maintain presence 24 hours a day in remote locations to prevent the arrival of drugs, weapons and illegal merchandise.
Information from G5noticias
Source: Google News CL — Crime