U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma’s crew offloaded approximately 9,970 pounds of cocaine worth $73.7 million on July 29 at Port Everglades, Florida.
The seized contraband is the result of an interdiction on June 24, approximately 120 miles northwest of Ecuador by the crew of the Tahoma, according to a release.
“I couldn't be more impressed with the determination and teamwork displayed by this crew. They executed this interdiction with precision and professionalism,” said Cmdr. Nolan Cuevas, commanding officer of the Tahoma. “Behind every successful deployment is a dedicated team of logistics and support personnel. Their tireless efforts ensured we had the resources and maintenance support to operate. Our collective actions reaffirm the Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to protecting our nation’s borders and the safety of our citizens.”
Among the assets and crews involved in the interdiction operations were U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma; U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Tactical Law Enforcement Team; U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety & Security Team Houston; Joint Interagency Task Force-South and Southwest Coast Guard District staff.
Tahoma is a 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutter homeported in Newport, Rhode Island.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.