Coast Guard Delivers 1 Ton Of Seized Marijuana To St. Pete Base

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute delivered 1 ton of marijuana worth an estimated $2.2 million total wholesale to Coast Guard Base St. Petersburg Tuesday, May 8.

The marijuana was seized during a 71-day deployment in international waters in the Caribbean Sea.

On March 17, Resolute crew members, with the assistance of a Customs and Border Protection aircraft crew, interdicted two suspected drug smuggling vessels carrying a combined total of 2,600 pounds of marijuana and detained seven suspected drug smugglers as part of Operation Riptide.

"By working hand-in-hand with DHS partners and the nation of Jamaica, we were able to efficiently interdict the 2,600 pounds of marijuana seen on the pier today," said Cmdr. Carmen DeGeorge, the Resolute's commanding officer. "Today's offload represents the ongoing commitment of U.S. and international partners to combat transnational criminal networks and promote stability across the Caribbean region."

The Resolute crew returned from a 71-day deployment April 28. Resolute is a 210-foot Reliance-class cutter, home ported in St. Petersburg. It has a crew of 81.

Image via Coast Guard

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