BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded more than 16,100 pounds of cocaine Monday at Port Everglades, which had been seized by the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton’s crew, along with interagency and international partners.
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Coast Guard officials confirmed in a news release issued Tuesday that the drugs were seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off South and Central America.
The cocaine seized has a street value of about $182.8 million.
According to the news release, Coast Guard crews will often deploy to the “U.S. Southern Command joint operating area, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean,” to try to interdict transnational criminal organizations before they can access maritime trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
“I’m proud of our accomplishments during this three-and-a-half-month deployment,” said Capt. Justin Carter, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton. “The exceptional crew of Hamilton, with the support of an aircrew from Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Squadron, demonstrated the greatest professionalism, seamanship and airmanship while executing this important and challenging mission at sea in service to nation.”
In addition to the drugs seized, six suspected smugglers were also detained and are now facing prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Their identities and nationalities have not been released.