The articulated and coordinated fight carried out by the Navy, Coast Guard and authorities responsible for enforcing the state of law in the rivers, ports and seas of various countries has forced Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), dedicated to illicit drug trafficking, to modify their criminal activities and modalities of maritime drug trafficking. Show casing the above is the rise of submersibles (SPFS: Self Propelled Fully-Submersible Vessel) and semisubmersibles known as SPSS, (Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible Vessel) and LPV, (Low Profile Vessel), for the illegal transportation of Cocaine Hydrochloride (CHC), from South American countries to transit, storage and consumer markets. An event that evidenced an innovation in the use of Go Fast Boats was documented in 1993, when the first seizure of a semi-submersible device manufactured by the TCOs was registered. This new modality fulfilled the need to have a maritime drug trafficking modality with concealment characteristics potentially effective to deter visual and electromagnetic detection from the surface of the sea. Furthermore, this new conveyance method brought greater capacity to carry and transport contraband while also increased the endurance to navigate longer distances. In the last three decades, criminal organizations have tried to improve the design, construction, propulsion and use of submersibles and semi-submersibles. These upgrades are driven by the challenges that this conveyance method also brings, like the significant economic investment, its vulnerability due to their inability to jettison the contraband, time, investment, counter detection during its construction and risk for the crew members, all leading to increased seizure rates. The challenge for countries in the detection and seizure of submersibles and semi-submersibles lies mainly in increasing the intelligence, aerial surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, electromagnetic spectrum analysis and surface interoperability of navies, coast guard services and authorities involved in the fight against this threat.  The analysis and in-depth study of the characteristics, evolution and use of these artifacts is relevant because it is a modality that could increase both in use and in design optimization, so the purpose of this special edition is focused on conceptualizing, illustrating and defining these expressions of maritime drug trafficking.