Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard
MIAMI, Fla. - The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa’s crew offloaded around 3,825 pounds of cocaine, worth more than $28.7 million dollars on Thursday at Base Miami Beach.
The seized cocaine was the result of two separate interceptions in internation waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean through Operation Pacific Viper, according to the Coast Guard.
Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard
According to the Coast Guard, the amount of cocaine seized was enough to kill more than 1.4 million Americans.
What they're saying:
"This crew's performance over the last 74 days has been nothing short of phenomenal," said Commander Joshua DiPietro, commanding officer of Tampa.
"From qualifying several pilots, tie-downs, landing safety officers, and helicopter control officers for aviation operations at the start of the patrol to seizing nearly $45 million in illicit narcotics, their teamwork during complex operations was truly impressive," Commander DiPietro said. "They met every challenge head-on, working seamlessly with our partner agencies and international allies to disrupt transnational criminal organizations."
The crews and teams involved in the operations included:
- USCGC Tampa (WMEC 902)
- Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron
- Joint Interagency Task Force South
- Coast Guard Southeast District watch standers
- Coast Guard Southwest District watch standers
Why you should care:
The Coast Guard said efforts like these are a critical component of the broader U.S. strategy to combat narco-terrorism and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard
80% of interdictions of U.S.-bound drugs occur at sea, according to the Coast Guard.
Coast Guard Cutter Tampa
The Coast Guard Cutter Tampa is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter home ported in Portsmouth, Virginia under U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.
The Source: This article was written using information from a U.S. Coast Guard press release.