U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone’s crew offloaded approximately 49,010 pounds of illicit narcotics worth more than $362 million at Port Everglades, Wednesday.
This offload marks the most amount of cocaine seized by a single cutter in one patrol in Coast Guard history.
The seized contraband was the result of 15 interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
“I am extremely proud of the crew’s incredible performance during this deployment,” said Capt. Anne O’Connell, commanding officer, Coast Guard Cutter Stone. “This offload demonstrates our increased posture and continued success in the fight against narco-terrorism and transnational criminal organizations. The Coast Guard, in conjunction with our inter-agency and international partners, continues to patrol areas commonly associated with drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, denying smugglers access to maritime routes by which they move illicit drugs to our U.S. land and sea borders.”
The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:
- U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone
- U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville
- Joint Interagency Task Force-South
- Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders
- Coast Guard Southwest District watchstanders
USCGC Stone is one of four 418-foot Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Charleston, South Carolina, under U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.
