Over $400-million worth of cocaine, marijuana seized by U.S. Coast Guard
(USCGSoutheast)
PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. - The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday showed off about 30,000 pounds of illegal drugs that were confiscated at sea. They say the cocaine and marijuana seized are all worth more than an estimated $408 million.
"The drugs were interdicted in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, and in the Caribbean Sea including contraband seized and recovered during 11 interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels by four Coast Guard cutters and two U.S. Navy ships," the United States Coast Guard wrote in a press release.
Crews are offloading approximately 23,000 pounds of cocaine and 6,900 pounds of marijuana in Port Everglades, Florida.
"Under the leadership of U.S. Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South, Coast Guard and Navy forces worked side by side to stop the flow of illegal narcotics on the high seas before it could make landfall in Central America and continue its northward journey into the United States," said Capt. Jeffrey Randall, commanding officer of the cutter James. "Working alongside our partner agencies, we continue to take the fight to the drug cartels and make an impact on these criminal organizations who spread this poison on our streets. I couldn't be more proud of my crew and their hard work."
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