MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC-906) crew offloaded more than 12,000 pounds of cocaine Friday at Coast Guard Sector Miami.
The drugs were interdicted in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, including contraband seized and recovered in more than five interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels by U.S. Coast Guard cutters:
- The cutter Seneca was responsible for two cases, seizing approximately 2,800 pounds of cocaine.
- The Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma (WMEC-908) was responsible for three interdictions seizing approximately 2,500 pounds of cocaine.
- The Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL-757) was responsible for two cases, seizing approximately 5,700 pounds of cocaine.
- The Coast Guard Cutter Valiant (WMEC-621) was responsible for one case, seizing approximately 1,000 pounds of cocaine.
"These down range counter-drug operations are a vital component to the Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security's mission and our national security. These operations enable us to extend our maritime borders, weaken the economic engine of Transnational Criminal Organizations, contribute to enhancing stability and security across our partner nations within Central America, and they combat the drug epidemic within our local communities," said Cmdr. John Christensen, commanding officer of the cutter Seneca. "I am exceptionally proud of this crew. Over the course of the last three months they rose above the challenges of conducting operations at sea, persevered through many personal sacrifices and showed an unwavering dedication to serving our nation."
The cutter Seneca’s crew along with those of the other ships conducted operations targeting transnational criminal organizations in conjunction with Joint Interagency Task Force-South, Department of Defense, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Justice, and a number of other Coast Guard aircraft. The cutter Seneca’s presence and efforts are critical to disrupting and dismantling the transnational criminal organizations that attempt to smuggle these drugs through the ocean and into Central and North America.
The cutter Seneca is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Boston. The cutter Tahoma is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Kittery, Maine. The cutter Midgett is a 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Honolulu. The cutter Valiant is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Jacksonville, Florida.