Coast Guard Offloads $300 Million Worth Of Cocaine, Heroin

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded approximately 10 tons of cocaine and 23 kilograms of heroin at Port Everglades on Tuesday. The illegal narcotics represent 14 separate, suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by the Guard. The drugs have an estimated wholesale street value of $300 million.

"This offload today is not just the result of one unit, but the combined efforts of multiple Coast Guard cutters, aircraft and support, as well as that of our partners and allied men and women who continue to work day and night to stop these criminal organizations from profiting off transnational crime and smuggling," said Cdr. John Mctamney, who commands the Coast Guard Cutter Spencer, which brought the drugs to port.

"While this offload represents approximately 10 tons of illicit drugs that will never hit out streets, it also represents a significant depletion to the cash flow to these criminal organizations," Mctamney added.

Coast Guard officials said that the drugs were seized by multiple Coast Guard cutters in international waters off the Eastern Pacific Ocean along Mexico and Central America.

Here is how the interdictions break down:

• The CGC Steadfast — a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Astoria, Oregon — was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 940 kilograms of cocaine.
• The CGC James — a 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Charleston, South Carolina — was responsible for two cases, seizing an estimated 690 kilograms of cocaine.
• The CGC Alert — a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Astoria, Oregon — was responsible for six cases, seizing an estimated 3,305 kilograms of cocaine and 23 kilograms of heroin.
• The CGC Aspen — a 225-foot buoy tender homeported in San Francisco, California — was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 102 kilograms of cocaine.
• The CGC Vigorous — a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Virginia Beach, Virginia— was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 1,150 kilograms of cocaine.
• The CGC Spencer — a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Boston, Massachusetts — was responsible for two cases, seizing an estimated 3,000 kilograms of cocaine.
• The CGC Thetis — a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Florida — was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 1,060 kilograms of cocaine.

Coast Guard officials said there has been an increased U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off Central and South America.

"During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially located and tracked by allied, military or law enforcement personnel," officials explained. "The interdictions, including the actual boarding, are led and conducted by U.S. Coast Guardsmen."

More than 2,200 kilograms of seized contraband sit on Coast Guard Cutter Spencer’s flight deck with an MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter from Jacksonville. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Second Class Timothy Midas.