WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Coast Guard seized more than $63 million worth of illicit drugs as a result of three interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The crew aboard the Coast Guard cutter Bear offloaded approximately 7,720 pounds of cocaine and 4,000 pounds of marijuana at Port Everglades, Florida, last week, the Coast Guard said in a press release.
The crew detected a go-fast vessel on June 11, and the embarked Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew employed airborne use-of-force tactics. The Bear's boarding team interdicted and boarded the vessel, seizing approximately 4,000 pounds of marijuana.
The next day, it detected two go-fast vessels, and the embarked aircrew employed airborne use-of-force tactics to stop both vessels. The Bear's boarding team interdicted and boarded the vessels, seizing approximately 7,660 pounds of cocaine.
The Bear's crew recovered a bale in the Eastern Pacific Ocean containing approximately 60 pounds of cocaine on June 13.
During the operations, the tactical squadron employed an MH-65E Dolphin helicopter featuring its new blackfin design, which helped the squadron meet its most successful fiscal year after seizing three times its annual average amount of cocaine.
To protect the homeland from ongoing trafficking of illicit narcotics from South America to the United States, the Coast Guard said it is accelerating its counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of Operation Pacific Viper.
The majority of interdictions of U.S.-bound drugs occur at sea. U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South, based in Key West, Florida, detects and monitors aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs.
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