Venezuelan Military Says Downed 51 Planes Used For Drug Trafficking In 2021

CARACAS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2021) The Venezuelan armed forces, FANB, neutralized a total of 51 aircraft used by drug trafficking groups this year, the strategic operations command said on Monday.

"The Strategic Operational Commander of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces, Domingo Antonio Hernandez Larez, announced that an aircraft from Colombia was neutralized during an attempt to enter our territory. This aircraft was operated by a Colombian terrorist group of drug traffickers and was shot down by our forces, it was the 51st (plane) in 2021," the military said in a statement.

Throughout 2021, the Venezuelan military seized 44 tons of cocaine and destroyed 60 illegal airstrips.

More than 90% of the world's coca plantations are located in the countries that form the "silver triangle" of cocaine production in the Andean region � Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Coca also grows in small quantities on plantations in Panama, Ecuador, southwestern Venezuela and northeastern Brazil.