CRIME
Over 18,000 Pounds Of Cocaine Worth $239 Million Seized In Just One Month In Pacific
Petty Officer 3rd Class Hunter Schnabel / U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard announced it offloaded approximately 18,219 pounds of cocaine, estimated to be worth more than $239 million, in San Diego, Calif., on Wednesday, some of which came from the first semi-submersible intercepted in the region in over three years.
The massive haul of cocaine was seized across six separate interdictions of drug smuggling vessels carried out in November. Four interdictions were carried out by the Coast Guard Cutters Waesche and two by the Coast Guard Cutter Active.
One of the vessels, intercepted by the Waesche on Nov. 20, was a self-propelled semi-submersible carrying 5.534 pounds of cocaine, the Coast Guard said.
“All four of our interdictions on this patrol are crucial to the Coast Guards efforts to keep illicit drugs off the streets, but our last interdiction of a semi-submersible vessel was noteworthy since it was the first semi-submersible interdicted in the Eastern Pacific in over three years,” said Capt. Robert Mohr, commanding officer of the Waesche.
I am extremely impressed with the crews dedication throughout this dynamic patrol. They overcame multiple challenges with collective hard work, ingenuity, and positive attitudes to keep us in pursuit of these cartels and their dangerous drugs, Mohr said.
“The significance of keeping this much cocaine from reaching our shores and streets is, no doubt, life-changing. Without these 9 tons of cocaine on American streets, fewer people will have access to this toxic poison, and hundreds of millions of dollars will not make it into cartel coffers,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The crew of the Waesche and the entire U.S. Coast Guard is to be commended for protecting our nation from the devastation, violence, and addiction that cocaine brings to our communities.”
The Waesche is one of four Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Alameda, Calif. The Active is a medium endurance cutter homeported in Port Angeles, Wash.
TMX contributed to this article.
