[oliveoil]

just a smuggling idea: why don't they build an unmanned sub to shuttle the drugs around the border? it could go much deeper (no air needed), move real slowly, stay submerged for a very long time at one place, navigate completely automatically using GPS (except someone needs to pick up the cargo on the other end) and if caught it's hard to catch the smugglers.

[hristov]

Radio communications for subs are very problematic because water is conductive and more or less shields all radio waves.

AFAIK there is a way to communicate through radio with an underwater sub but involves complex antennas very long radio waves and complex signal processing, etc. There is no way a sub would be able to get a GPS signal under water.

It is possible to have a sub that runs under water most of the time and only occasionally pops up to get its location via GPS, but that would require very complex autopilot software, which the narco trafficers do not have yet.

[tomjen3]

They will get it at some point though - not only are there a lot of programmers who would love to write something as complex as that, but they can afford to pay very, very well.

[ianium]

They basically need a GAVIA[1] system with an extra couple of battery modules and one of the dvl/ins modules to allow for long travel distances with less accumulated error. Build a payload module and screw them all together and you're there. [1]http://www.gavia.is/Products/Gavia-Technology/Payloads/

[mcantelon]

The GPS antenna could be encased in a very small inflatable opaque brown (same color as seeweed/kelp) buoy, attached by a cable to the sub.

[rue]

It is a lot simpler and cheaper to buy or coerce some poor bastard to smuggle for you.

[dedward]

Because they have no shortage of cash to crank out new subs, and no shortage of very poor people willing to risk the journey on the chance of success. It's the simpler solution.

Plus, subs are inefficient - the regular drug busts around here (central america) , when they find them, are regularly into several metric tons, usually on boats that are inspected while refuelling. That's just what gets caught... which has to be a very small fraction of what passes.

[jholman]

The air is probably for the diesel engines, not the humans. Before nuclear subs, that was the value of the schnorkel: stay mostly-submerged while running the diesels to recharge the electric batteries.

[ljf]

Check out: http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/watch/motherboard/colombian-narcosub... - looks like mini subs have already been in use for some time

Google Narcosubs for more