A U.S. Coast Guard crew seized approximately 10,000 pounds of cocaine from a fishing boat operating in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month, the agency announced Monday. The contraband, valued at an estimated $74 million, marks another major victory in the ongoing battle against transnational narcotics trafficking.
The seizure occurred in mid-April, roughly 1,200 miles west of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, where the Coast Guard cutter Calhoun identified a suspicious fishing vessel sailing through international waters. The vessel’s behavior triggered suspicions of drug trafficking, prompting a Coast Guard team to board and inspect the ship, where they uncovered the large cache of cocaine.
Five individuals suspected of smuggling the narcotics were apprehended and are now in U.S. custody.
“This interdiction demonstrates the Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to combating transnational criminal organizations,” Vice Adm. Nathan Moore, commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area, said in a statement. “Our dedicated crews, in close coordination with interagency and international partners, continue to disrupt the flow of illicit narcotics, which serves as a critical strategic action that disrupts the financial networks of TCOs, undermining their ability to fund further illicit activities that threaten our communities.”
The bust adds to a series of significant drug seizures conducted by the Coast Guard in recent months. Last week, the cutter Kimball offloaded approximately 18,898 pounds of cocaine in San Diego, California, after intercepting six trafficking vessels off the coasts of Mexico, Central America, and South America between February and April. That haul carried an estimated street value of more than $214 million.
Earlier this month, two Coast Guard cutters, James and Mohawk, offloaded more than 48,000 pounds of illegal drugs valued at over $509 million at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The drugs, mostly pure cocaine along with marijuana, were seized during 13 separate operations in the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to CBS Miami.
Additionally, in February, the cutter Waesche offloaded over 37,000 pounds of cocaine intercepted from 11 smuggling vessels operating near Mexico and Central and South America. That haul was valued at more than $275 million.
Federal authorities have credited these operations with severely impacting the operations of major drug trafficking organizations by cutting off critical revenue streams and deterring further illegal activities.
The Coast Guard, working alongside international and interagency partners, continues to pledge relentless action against narcotics smuggling efforts across the globe.
