MIAMI – Crewmembers from Coast Guard Cutter Sitkinak, intercepted nearly 1,000 pounds of marijuana from a vessel east of Hallandale Beach, Fla., Thursday.
While conducting law enforcement patrols, the crew of the Sitkinak located a suspicious 24-foot center console vessel. The crew stopped the U.S. flagged vessel about 35 miles east of Hallandale Beach, located nearly 1,000 pounds of marijuana aboard and detained the two suspected smugglers.
The contraband and suspected smugglers were transferred to Customs and Border Protection officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents Thursday at Sector Miami. ICE special agents continue the investigation.
“As Guardians of our nation’s maritime borders, Coast Guard men and women vigilantly patrol the Florida Straits day and night,” said Captain James Fitton, the Coast Guard Sector Miami Commander. “I am proud of the diligent efforts of the Coast Guard Cutter Sitkinak crew that were involved in bringing these individuals to justice and keeping this large quantity of drugs off the streets of Southeast Florida.”
The Sitkinak is a 110-foot patrol boat homeported in Miami.
Photographs of the drug offload can be viewed at the Coast Guard News Facebook page.
