A two-month patrol operation in the eastern Pacific Ocean led crews from three U.S. Coast Guard vessels to seize more than five tons of cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $158 million, the military service announced Monday.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast offloaded the haul of drugs Monday at a port in San Diego. The Steadfast was among three cutters whose crews helped to intercept and confiscate 11,600 pounds of cocaine and 5,500 pounds of marijuana between May and July from smugglers attempting to bring the drugs to the United States, the Coast Guard said in a media release.
The patrolling operation, which also included crews aboard the cutters Vigilant and Mohawk, was conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard’s 11th district headquartered in Alameda, California.
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Authorities tracked suspected smuggling boats
The Steadfast, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Astoria, Oregon, primarily patrolled along the western seaboard of the United States, Mexico and North and Central America during the operation, the Coast Guard said. While out patrolling, the crews worked with numerous other American law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, as well as the Mexican Navy (SEMAR,) to track and board vessels that were suspected of smuggling the drugs.
In a statement, Rear Adm. Andrew Sugimoto said the crews of the cutters “worked diligently to combat transnational organized crime, disrupt drug flow and prevent a significant amount of drugs from reaching the U.S.”
“Their unwavering commitment while interdicting drug smugglers at sea is not only commended, but their continued efforts are unmatched,” said Sugimoto, commander of the 11th district encompassing California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.
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“Nothing is guaranteed when a Coast Guard crew says ‘goodbye’ to loved ones and embarks on a multi-month patrol,” Cmdr. Brock Eckel of the Steadfast said in a statement. “However, our team worked incredibly hard, day-and-night, to stop three smuggling vessels, preventing more than five tons of illicit narcotics from reaching American soil. I am honored to serve with the amazing Steadfast crew and share in their success.”
In June, a crew aboard the Cutter Bear offloaded 14,153 pounds of cocaine worth more than $186 million in Miami. As a result of that operation in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, a dozen smugglers were arrested and faced prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Coast Guard previously announced.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @EricLagatta.
