Last week, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG ) officers deployed aboard a U.S. Navy ship interdicted more than 1,380 pounds of cocaine drugs in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea.
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Robert Yered offloaded the cocaine – with an estimated street value of approximately $18.1 million – in Miami Beach.
USCG said they rescued three suspected smugglers after the go-fast boat capsized during the interdiction, then recovered the contraband drugs that had been discarded into the sea.
The three suspects will face prosecution in federal courts by the U.S. Department of Justice.
In a statement, Cmdr. T.J. Orth, commanding officer of USS St. Louis said, “I am incredibly proud of the skill and tenacity displayed by our entire team during this interdiction.”
“This operation was a testament to the capability of our Navy-Coast Guard and interagency teams. The sailors of St. Louis and HSM-50, and Coast Guardsmen of LEDET 105 utilized every resource and capability at their disposal to track and intercept the vessel and then respond to safeguard the lives of the three suspected smugglers,” added Cmdr. Orth.
Crews and assets involved in the interdiction included the USS St. Louis (LCS-19) and the U.S. Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 50 (HSM-50).
The interdiction is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative.
