US Coast Guard Offloads US$2 Million Worth Of Marijuana Seized In Caribbean Sea

KEY WEST, Florida July 8, 2018 (CMC) – The United States Coast Guard says crewmembers, aboard the Coast Guard Cutter, Thetis, have offloaded 2,116 pounds of marijuana in Key West, Florida, after returning home from an 88-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

The Coast Guard, along with a Jamaica Defence Force crew, interdicted a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea, on Friday, June 8. The drugs, worth about US$2 million, wholesale, were interdicted as part of Operation Full Court Press.

“In conjunction with DHS [Department of Homeland Security] partners and the partner nation of Jamaica, we were able to swiftly interdict the 2,116 pounds of marijuana,” said Cmdr. José Díaz, commanding officer of the Thetis. 

“This effort represents an ongoing regional, maritime, security effort, in concert with our international partners, to combat transnational criminal networks and promote stability, across the Caribbean region, by disrupting organized crime’s illegal activities,” he added. 

During the patrol, Díaz said Thetis crewmembers worked with the US Coast Guard Cutter, Heriberto Hernandez’s, crew and the Puerto Rico Joint Forces of Rapid Action, to rescue and repatriate 29 Dominican Republic migrants.

During a port call in San Juan, Díaz said Puerto Rico crewmembers volunteered with a local non-profit food bank, and loaded more than 300 pre-packaged meals for distribution to community members, disadvantaged by the 2017 hurricane season.