CHARLESTON, SC (WCBD) – The crew of Charleston-based coast guard cutter James recovered around 18.5 tons of cocaine this week in Port Everglades, Florida.
The drugs, which were seized in international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, were worth more than $500-million dollars.
We are told the drugs were intercepted off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by multiple U.S. Coast Guard cutters.
The offload represents 15 separate, suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by the Coast Guard:
• The cutter James was responsible for nine cases seizing an estimated 19,288 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WMEC-901) was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 44 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL-752) was responsible for one case, seizing an estimated 440 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Active (WMEC-618) was responsible for two cases, seizing an estimated 3,148 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless (WMEC-624) was responsible for two cases, seizing an estimated 2,050 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Venturous (WMEC-625) was responsible for two cases seizing an estimated 3,100 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Spencer (WMEC-905) was responsible for one case seizing an estimated 4,497 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Campbell (WMEC-909) was responsible for one case seizing an estimated 5,441 pounds of cocaine.
The Coast Guard increased U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off of Central and South America, as part of its Western Hemisphere Strategy.
During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially located and tracked by allied, military or law enforcement personnel.
The cutter James is a 418-foot legend-class cutter homeported in North Charleston, South Carolina.
