In a significant blow to drug traffickers, the crew of US coast guard cutter Munro (WMSL 755) has offloaded more than 29,000 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of $335.8m, on Tuesday in San Diego.
The offload is a result of eleven separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions or events off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America in September and October.
The Munro is the sixth legend class national security cutter, US coast guard said, and is homeported in Alameda, California.
In the fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are involved multiple U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security.
The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with allied and international partner agencies, all play a role in counter-narcotic operations.
“I would put this crew on any mission, anywhere, at any time,” said Capt. James O’Mara, commanding officer, coast guard cutter Munro.
“They executed everything asked of them with incredible teamwork and persistence, and we are proud of the results. Hats off to all our international and interagency partners – we absolutely cannot do this mission without them,” he added.
Rear Admiral Joseph Buzzella, commander of Coast Guard District Eleven, commented: “The Eastern Pacific is a challenging environment-both operationally and logistically.
“The transit zone is a vast area of ocean to cover, far from home. Despite the challenges, the success of the Munro’s crew highlights the importance of what we do on the high seas.”
The interdictions relate to Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) designated investigations, which aim to dismantle high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States.
