Court documents have revealed that One French National and Three Colombians were allegedly involved in the Blue Submersible intercepted off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago on March 21st. The men were identified as one French national, 23-year-old- Juan Jose CASTANO-PALOMO, and three Colombian nationals: 62-year-old- Carlos Alberto BRAVO-SARASTY, 41-year-old Gustavo RODRIGUEZ-SALAZAR, and 49-year-old-Emilson Yordao QUINONEZ-HACHITO.

They were arraigned this afternoon in Federal Court in San Juan Puerto Rico. They were all indicted on April 3rd following the interception on March 21st The US invoked its right-of-visit (ROV) boarding on the vessel, which was reasonably suspected of engaging in drug smuggling in international waters. The US Coast Guard recovered approximately one hundred cocaine bales of various shapes, sizes, and weights, with a combined at-sea weight of 2,370 kilograms.

The Court documents made no mention of Guyana or the collaboration of the neighboring countries. Although the US Embassy in Guyana and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) released information that there was collaboration as the operation also occurred off the coast of Guyana.
The court documents say that the interception took place 132 nautical miles northeast of Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, it was disclosed to the court that due to the vessel having no suitable tow points and posing a navigation hazard, the US Coast Guard subsequently authorized its personnel to sink the vessel. The US law enforcement did just that.

All the men were transported to Puerto Rico on a US Law Enforcement Vessel and are facing four counts under the US law. The Counts all fall under Titles 46 and 18 of US Law:
CONSPIRACY TO POSSESS: AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ABOARD A VESSEL SUBJECT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES: OPERATION OF SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL OR SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL WITHOUT NATIONALITY.

The Men are being detained at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Puerto Rico.