The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bear offloaded more than 14,153 pounds of cocaine worth more than $186 million in Miami on Friday.
The offloaded drugs were interdicted during nine separate cases in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, according to a Coast Guard release.
"The contraband offloaded today represents the professional expertise and dedication of U.S. defense and law enforcement agencies working together to combat the flow of illicit drugs through the Caribbean Region into the United States," said Lt. Peter Hutchison, duty enforcement officer at Coast Guard District Seven.
In addition to USCG Bear, crews from USCG Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron, USS Little Rock, USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Team-Pacific, USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Team-South, USCG Donald Horsley, USCG Air Station Borinquen HC-144 aircrew and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrew participated in the interdiction.
"This teamwork is imperative to the identification, interception, and seizure of vessels engaged in illicit trafficking and a testament to the hard work of these crews,” added Hutchison.
Along with the illicit narcotics, 12 suspected smugglers were apprehended and face prosecution in federal courts by the Department of Justice.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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