MEXICO CITY, June 28, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The Mexican navy seized 3.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a semisubmersible vessel off the Pacific coast, authorities said Friday.

It is the latest in a series of major drug hauls showcased by the Latin American nation, which is under pressure from US President Donald Trump to curb narcotics smuggling.

The vessel, manned by three people and carrying 180 packages of cocaine, was detected during a maritime patrol in waters off the southern state of Guerrero, the navy said in a statement.

Mexican authorities have seized more than 44.8 tons of cocaine at sea since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October, the navy said.

That month, the navy announced that it had seized more than 8.3 tons of an unspecified type of drugs found in vessels off the Pacific coast -- a record for a single operation at sea.

In early June, authorities said they had seized nearly 42 tons of methamphetamine worth more than $50 million during raids on illegal drug labs on land.

Trump has cited trafficking of illegal drugs -- particularly the synthetic opioid fentanyl -- as one of the reasons for the tariffs he has imposed on imports from Mexico.