PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The crew of the 210-foot Coast Guard Cutter Diligence, homeported in Wilmington, N.C., helped interdict two suspected drug smugglers and seized 4,400 pounds of cocaine off the Nicaragua coast Jan. 23.
The Diligence crew launched a boat crew from the cutter and began pursuing the go-fast transiting west toward Nicaragua. A maritime law enforcement team with the 270-foot Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, homeported in Portsmouth, Va., also chased the vessel.
Coast Guard and Colombian law enforcement teams worked together to push the suspected smugglers toward waiting Nicaraguan naval forces.
After a ninety-minute chase at speeds in excess of 35 knots, Nicaraguan maritime forces interdicted the vessel in their territorial seas.
“This interdiction reflects the successful cooperation with our maritime partners combating the narco-traffickers in the Caribbean Basin,” said Cmdr. Doug Fears, commanding officer of the Diligence.
The Nicaraguan government has jurisdiction of the case.
