U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute’s crew offloaded approximately 2,570 pounds of cocaine worth more than $19.3 million and transferred six suspected drug smugglers to federal authorities, Thursday, at Base Miami Beach.
The seized contraband was the result of three interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma and the crew of the USS Billings with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment.
“The success of these interdictions reflects the strength of our partnerships and the persistence of our crews,” said Cmdr. Ian Starr, Resolute’s commanding officer. “By stopping these shipments at sea, we are preventing dangerous drugs from reaching our communities and disrupting transnational criminal organizations.”
The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:
- USCGC Tahoma
- USS Billings
- Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron
- U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South, LEDET 405
- Joint Interagency Task Force South
- Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders
Coast Guard Cutter Resolute’s offload continues record-setting Coast Guard operations to interdict, seize, and disrupt transshipment of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs by sea.
The original announcement can be found here.
