The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton returned to Port Everglades on Monday, offloading a staggering 16,100 pounds of cocaine seized during a three-and-a-half-month deployment in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The estimated street value of the narcotics is a whopping $182.8 million.
The Hamilton’s crew, in collaboration with interagency and international partners, intercepted the illicit drugs in international waters off the coasts of South and Central America.
These operations are part of a broader effort to disrupt transnational criminal organizations that utilize maritime routes for drug trafficking.
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“I’m proud of our accomplishments during this three-and-a-half-month deployment,” said Capt. Justin Carter, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton. “The exceptional crew of Hamilton, with the support of an aircrew from Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Squadron, demonstrated the greatest professionalism, seamanship and airmanship while executing this important and challenging mission at sea in service to nation.”
The Coast Guard highlighted the complex coordination involved in these interdictions, which often require the cooperation of multiple agencies and nations.
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The Joint Interagency Task Force-South, based in Key West, plays a crucial role in detecting and monitoring drug trafficking activities, while the Coast Guard’s Eleventh District oversees operations in the Eastern Pacific.
Six suspected smugglers were apprehended during the interdictions and will face prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Coast Guard emphasized the importance of these operations in disrupting organized crime and stemming the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
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