The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Diligence offloaded more than 4,125 pounds of cocaine at Port Everglades on Monday. The drugs, valued at approximately $54 million, were seized during three separate interdictions in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea.
The operation involved collaboration between multiple agencies and international partners, including the Royal Navy, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Joint Interagency Task Force South. Eleven suspected smugglers were apprehended and will face prosecution in federal courts.
Lt. Matthew Carmine, commanding officer of the USCGC Joseph Napier, praised the efforts of his crew and partners: “Their steadfast efforts, along with those of foreign allies and partner agencies, continue to prove vital to countering drug trafficking organizations and safeguarding the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” he said.
The drug interdictions highlight the complex nature of combating drug trafficking at sea. The Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West, Florida, conducts initial detection and monitoring, with the U.S. Coast Guard taking control during the law enforcement phase. These operations fall under the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami.
Related Article: Drug Smugglers Light High-Speed Craft Ablaze in Eastern Pacific; 1,080 Pounds of Cocaine Seized
These efforts are part of the broader Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces’ (OCDETF) initiatives, which aim to dismantle high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States.
Updated: September 20, 2024 (Originally published September 11, 2024)
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