This is quite the haul.
The Coast Guard Cutter James offloaded approximately 27,300 pounds of seized cocaine worth an estimated $367 million and 11,000 pounds of seized marijuana worth an estimated $10.1 million Monday at Port Everglades, Florida.
“The offload of over 13 tons of drugs represents the efforts of not only 10 Coast Guard cutters over 18 separate interdictions, but also the commitment and dedication of international allies and partners, like the Colombians, as we work together to disrupt the networks that profit from their them,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jason Neiman, Seventh Coast Guard District public affairs officer.
The drugs were seized in international waters of the Caribbean Basin and the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America over the course of a two-month-long mission.
“That teamwork and dedication represent how the Coast Guard protects this nation,” said Capt. Jeffrey Randall, commanding officer of the James.
The effort to shut down the drug smuggling pipeline is not without danger, he added.
“There’s an action-reaction game that we play,” Randall said. “How we plan those interdictions and execute those interdictions to minimize the risk to our crew while also making sure we can get a successful prosecution,” he said.
Coast Guard Commandant Karl Schultz said over the past three years more than 1.4 million tons of cocaine has been taken off the streets as a result of the bilateral partnership.
“This is a hemispheric fight,” he added. “It is all about partnerships.”
Schultz labeled the drug smugglers transnational criminals.
“Taking down large boatloads of cocaine at sea really helped to reduce the corruption, the violence in those Central American countries that manifest as a human tragedy on our southwest border,” he said.
Rear Adm. José Jauquín Amézquita García, head of Naval planning for the Colombian Navy, called drug trafficking a threat that is tearing apart lives.”
“It’s not just a huge load of marijuana and cocaine,” he said. “It’s a testament to that partnership."
The crew of the cutter Valiant was responsible for two cases, seizing approximately 4,184 pounds of cocaine. The cutter Spencer’s crew made one interdiction and seized approximately 1,477 pounds of cocaine.
The cutter Northland made two interdictions seizing more than 12,214 pounds of cocaine while the crew of the cutter Harriett Lane was responsible for two cases, seizing nearly 750 pounds of cocaine and 5,540 pounds of marijuana.
The cutter Thetis’ crew was responsible for one case, seizing approximately 160 pounds of cocaine.
The crews of the cutters Venturous, Confidence, Mohawk, and Vigilant made on interdiction each.
The Coast Guard is at it again with another kickass drug bust
Coast Guard honors Good Samaritans who saved lives
Reach Julia LeDoux: Julia@connectingvets.com
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