US Coast Guard Seizes Illegal Drugs In Caribbean Sea

MIAMI, Florida Apr. 20, (CMC) – The United States Coast Guard says it participated in three separate international and inter-agency counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the seizure of more than t 325 kilograms of cocaine and 600 pounds of marijuana.

It said 15 suspected drug smugglers were also detained.

The Coast Guard added that the drugs seized in the past week represent a total wholesale value of more than US$10.1 million, and that the exercises were conducted with the US Drug Enforcement Agency, the Royal Bahamian Defense Force, the Royal Bahamian Police Force and a Bahamian Drug Enforcement Unit.

“This is a great example of how the Coast Guard collaborates across multiple agencies to counter the efforts of drug trafficking organizations,” said Lt. Ken Franklin, operations officer for the Coast Guard Cutter, “Dependable”.

“This past week’s success was the culmination of ongoing cooperative efforts across international borders and organizational boundaries,” he added.

The Coast Guard also revealed that the crews of the Cutter Richard Dixon and the USS Shamal have “successfully interdicted” more than 1,110 kilograms of cocaine and detained four suspected smugglers in the Caribbean Sea.

The Coast Guard noted that the suspected smugglers, a Colombian and three Venezuelan men, were transferred to the US Department of Justice, Southern District of Florida for prosecution, along with the contraband that was estimated to have a wholesale value of about US$32.7 million.