Interpol announces 'record' meth seizure in 18 countries, including Mexico

(AFP) An anti-narcotics operation in 18 countries in Asia and North America, including Mexico, resulted in a "massive" seizure of synthetic drugs valued at $6.5 billion dollars, Interpol announced Tuesday, highlighting a "record" amount of methamphetamine recovered.

In this operation, called Lionfish-Mayag III, 386 people were arrested and a total of 76 tons of drugs were seized, 51 of them liquid and solid methamphetamine, between June 30 and July 13, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) said in a statement.

Among the drugs seized in the operation was a "record" size of 297 million pills of a methamphetamine known as "yaba," which is very popular in Southeast Asia.

Also found were fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, ketamine and precursor chemicals.

According to Interpol, the traffickers displayed great ingenuity: some substances were hidden on surfboards, among pine cones, in coffee pots, tea bags or sacks of cat food.

The previous record was some 190 million tablets seized, the France-based police organization told AFP, citing the latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

During the operation, the most important methamphetamine seizures took place in Asian countries, such as in Laos, where 3.9 tons were recovered, and in Myanmar, where 9.25 million "yaba" pills were confiscated.

In Mexico, authorities seized 1.7 tons of methamphetamine and more than 190,000 fentanyl tablets.

In relation to the latter drug, the Latin American country requested "the urgent publication" of an Interpol notice to warn of the use of new "deadly chemicals" in its manufacture.

The Mexican government has stepped up its efforts to combat the powerful opioid and irregular migration to the United States under heavy pressure from President Donald Trump, who is threatening to impose high tariffs on Mexican exports if the country does not act against these issues.