US Coast Guard seized $223 million worth of cocaine and marijuana at sea in San Diego.
The US Coast Guard has offloaded more than 7.5 tons of illicit drugs seized in recent weeks by naval smugglers in the Eastern Pacific.
The collection, which landed in San Diego, 11,301 pounds of cocaine and 4,076 pounds of marijuana, was delivered from the decks of the USCG Kimball cutter that was transported to his home in Hawaii.
The drug would be worth about $223 million on the way, according to the agency.
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Crews from three Coast Guard ships and one Canadian government ship seized drugs off the coast of Central and South America from late February to early this month, according to USCG public affairs.
“Pure cocaine bans at sea are the most effective way to curb the destabilizing effects of cartels throughout the Western Hemisphere,” said Rear Admiral Michael McAllister, commander of the US Coast Guard in the Pacific.
With the help of other military branches such as the Navy or services from other countries, such as the Royal Canadian Navy, he added, the Coast Guard could “facilitate the efforts of US prosecutors to close the circle of justice.”
The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of Coast Guard 11, headquartered in Alameda. Suspensions, including boardings of suspected contraband vessels, are managed and conducted by Coast Guard personnel.