Cocaine, weighing over 49,000 pounds, was seized during 15 separate interdictions by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone during operations in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
The Coast Guard offloaded over $362m worth of cocaine at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Administration, Coast Guard and joint agency partner leadership held a press conference during the drug offload at Port Everglades.
Several Coast Guard officials were in attendance as the Stone’s crew offloaded approximately 49,010 pounds of illicit narcotics.
Officials said this is a result of 15 interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean by the crews of U.S. Coast Guard.
US Coast Guard said it’s the largest cocaine seizure by a single cutter in one patrol in the Coast Guard’s history.
To remind, USCGC Stone is one of four 418-foot Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Charleston, South Carolina, under U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.
“I am extremely proud of the crew’s incredible performance during this deployment,” said Capt. Anne O’Connell, commanding officer, Coast Guard Cutter Stone. “This offload demonstrates our increased posture and continued success in the fight against narco-terrorism and transnational criminal organizations.”
Officials noted that 80% of U.S.-bound narcotics seizures occur at sea, underscoring the significance of maritime interdictions.
Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Southwest District, headquartered in Alameda, California.
