News

Actions

Coast Guard offloads $420M worth, 16 tons of cocaine in Port Everglades

USCG seizes 16 tons of cocoaine
Posted
and last updated

MIAMI, Fla. (WWSB) -- The Coast Guard Cutter James crew offloaded approximately 16 tons of cocaine Tuesday in Port Everglades worth an estimated $420 million wholesale seized in international waters off the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Vice Adm. Karl Schultz, Commander of Coast Guard Atlantic Area said, "Our persistent maritime presence in drug trafficking zones from cutters like James, enables us to interdict bulk quantities of drugs at sea, preventing criminal networks' illicit cargoes from reaching the shores of Central America, and land routes into the United States."

Over a 26-day period, the drugs were seized along Central and South America. 

The offload represents 17 separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdiction's by U.S. Coast Guard crews, Canadian crews and inter-agency partners.