As the nation\u2019s first line of defense against drug smugglers seeking to bring illegal substances into the United States, the Coast Guard\u2019s counternarcotics operations are part of a government effort to dismantle transnational organized crime networks from increasing violence and instability in the Western Hemisphere.<\/p>\n
That is where hard working crews like the one assigned to Coast Guard Cutter James come in! The crew offloaded approximately 16 tons of cocaine Mar. 28, 2017 in Port Everglades, Fla. This interdiction was worth an estimated $420 million wholesale seized in international waters off the Eastern Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n
The drugs were interdicted along Central and South America by Coast Guard and Canadian ships sailing with an embarked Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team during a 26-day period.<\/p>\n
The offload represents 17 separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by U.S. Coast Guard crews, Canadian crews and interagency partners:<\/p>\n
– The cutter James and HITRON were responsible for five cases, seizing an estimated 5.19 tons of cocaine.
\n– The cutter Mohawk was responsible for seven cases, seizing an estimated 5.79 tons of cocaine.
\n– The cutter Sherman was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 1 ton of cocaine.
\n– The cutter Tampa was responsible for three cases, seizing an estimated 3 tons of cocaine.
\n– HMCS Saskatoon and Coast Guard LEDET 405 were responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 1 ton of cocaine.<\/p>\n