Coast Guard offloads more than $186 million in illegal narcotics

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WMEC 901) stands amongst 14,153 pounds of interdicted narcotics at Miami, Florida, June 16, 2023. The offloaded drugs were interdicted from nine separate go-fast smuggling interdictions in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Coast Guard Cutter Bear crew member)

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bear stands amongst 14,153 pounds of interdicted narcotics at Miami, Florida, June 16, 2023.  (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Cutter Bear crew member)

Miami— The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WMEC 901) offloaded more than 14,153 pounds of cocaine worth more than $186 million in Miami, Friday.

The offloaded drugs were interdicted during nine separate cases in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean as a result of efforts by crews from:

  • Coast Guard Cutter Bear (WMEC 901)
  • Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON)
  • USS Little Rock (LCS-9)
  • Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team-Pacific
  • Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team-South
  • Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley (WPC-1117)
  • Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen HC-144 aircrew
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) aircrew

“The contraband offloaded today represents the professional expertise and dedication of U.S. defense and law enforcement agencies working together to combat the flow of illicit drugs through the Caribbean Region into the United States,” said Lt. Peter Hutchison, duty enforcement officer at Coast Guard District Seven. “This teamwork is imperative to the identification, interception, and seizure of vessels engaged in illicit trafficking and a testament to the hard work of these crews.”

Along with the illicit narcotics, 12 suspected smugglers were apprehended and face prosecution in federal courts by the Department of Justice.

Detecting and interdicting illegal drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. The Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West, Florida conducts detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Caribbean Sea are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Seventh District, headquartered in Miami.

For more news follow us on Twitter and Facebook. For recent photographs follow us on Flickr.


If you have any problems viewing this article, please report it here.