PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant worked with U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Turks and Caicos’ law-enforcement officials during a marijuana seizure from the Haitian freighter Miss Kristy in the Caribbean Sea March 2.
While on patrol in support of the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, Vigilant’s bridge team spotted the Miss Kristy, a 115-foot motor vessel running towards Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. Vigilant escorted the vessel to Providenciales and assisted with a dockside boarding at the request of Turks and Caicos Police and DEA officials. Two bricks of marijuana were discovered; the ship and the 10 crewmembers were turned over to the Turks and Caicos officials and the Vigilant boarding team resumed their patrol. The contraband, vessel and crew await final disposition.
“This is a testament to the multi-mission aspect of the Coast Guard,” said Cmdr. Brian Fiedler, commanding officer of Vigilant. “While providing humanitarian support to the citizens of Haiti, our crew identified and executed a successful counter-drug mission working side-by-side with our Caribbean counter-narcotics partners.”
The Vigilant is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter home ported in Port Canaveral, Fla.
