In a significant blow to transnational drug trafficking networks, the U.S. Coast Guard offloaded greater than $138 million price of cocaine and marijuana at two South Florida ports final week, following six interdictions throughout the Caribbean Sea.
On Friday, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Valiant arrived at Port Everglades with a haul of 17,450 kilos of cocaine and a pair of,585 kilos of marijuana, valued at an estimated $132 million. A day earlier, the crew of Cutter Vigorous offloaded roughly 840 kilos of cocaine, price about $6.2 million, at Coast Guard Base Miami Seaside.
The seizures resulted from a sequence of coordinated operations between Could 19 and Could 31 involving U.S. Coast Guard crews and worldwide companions, together with the U.S. Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Netherlands Navy.
“I’m extremely pleased with our Valiant workforce and the way they exemplify American values,” stated Cmdr. Matthew Press, commanding officer of the Valiant. “Collaborating with our multinational companions, we’ve disrupted transnational felony organizations and made the world a safer place.”
The interdictions included:
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Could 19: A vessel noticed 85 miles north of Aruba led to the seizure of two,645 kilos of cocaine by Valiant.
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Could 22: A second interdiction, 170 miles north of Aruba, resulted in 7,750 kilos of cocaine seized.
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Could 25: USS Gravely, working with a Coast Guard Regulation Enforcement Detachment (LEDET 401), intercepted a vessel 290 miles south of the Dominican Republic, seizing 840 kilos of cocaine, later transferred to Vigorous.
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Could 29: Two operations—one by HMCS William Corridor with LEDET 103, south of the Dominican Republic (750 kilos of cocaine), and one other by HNLMS Friesland with LEDET 404, close to Venezuela (4,050 kilos of cocaine and a pair of,585 kilos of marijuana).
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Could 31: A closing seizure of two,250 kilos of cocaine passed off 185 miles north of Colombia, once more involving William Corridor and LEDET 103.
The operations had been coordinated by means of the Joint Interagency Process Power-South (JIATF-S) in Key West, Florida, with key help from U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Regulation Enforcement Groups and the Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami, which oversees Caribbean interdiction missions.
Officers emphasised that intercepting unlawful drug shipments at sea is a fancy operation requiring sturdy interagency and worldwide cooperation.
“These interdictions relate to Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Process Forces’ Strike Power initiatives and designated investigations,” the Coast Guard stated in a press release.
