Authorities in Colombia discovered two drug smuggling submarines built by FARC rebels.

IN a scene that might have come from a James Bond thriller, a secret boatyard has been discovered in a South American swamp where drug barons were building submarines with the aim of landing tons of cocaine on to American beaches.

A pair of submarines found among Colombian mangroves 10 days ago has bolstered intelligence claims that narco-terrorists are forcing engineers to help them to acquire a means of evading coastguards and satellites.

The 50ft-long submarines were found on slipways close to a river that would have allowed them to escape through Colombia’s largest port, Buenaventura, and into the Pacific Ocean. One of the vessels was ready for its maiden voyage and the second was 70% complete. They were protected by armed guerrillas and camouflaged beneath tropical leaves.

When filled with cocaine, the submarines would have been able to ship £50 Million ($103 Million) worth of cocaine to the United States.

 The fibreglass submarines each had a conning tower and periscope, four bunk beds and room to carry five tons of cocaine which would fetch £50m in the United States. They were fitted with diesel engines, radar antennae to navigate the western coast-line and 20ft air tubes for when they were submerged.

The BBC is reporting that since 2005, 9 home made submarines have been found and seized by Colombian authorities.

FARC earns between $500 Million to $1 Billion in drug sales.