May 21, 2020

USS Pinckney Takes Down Drug Vessel, Seizes 70 Bales of Cocaine

The Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) with embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team seized 1400 kilograms of cocaine, May 14.

May 14, 2020

USS Lassen, Embarked Coast Guard Team Recover Illegal Drugs in Caribbean

The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82)  with embarked U.S. Coast Guard  (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team recovered more than 3,500 pounds of marijuana, May 2.  While on routine patrol, approximately 15 miles northeast of Navassa Island an embarked MH-60R Sea Hawk assigned to the “Proud Warriors” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 72, Combat Element (CEL) 2 located a 35-foot go-fast vessel with three suspected drug smugglers aboard throwing packages overboard.

April 28, 2020

Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane returns home after patrol in Caribbean

The Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane returned to its homeport of Portsmouth, Virginia on April 26 following a 71-day patrol of the Central Caribbean. The cutter’s multi-mission patrol resulted in the interdiction of 1,306 pounds of marijuana, with a street value of over $2.3 million. Harriet Lane conducted its patrol in support of the Coast Guard’s Seventh District and the United States Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South. 

April 27, 2020

Oregon-based Coast Guard Cutter Returns Home after 65-day Counter-Narcotic Patrol, $21.5M in Cocaine Seized

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623) returned home Friday to Astoria following a 65-day counternarcotic patrol to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The cutter intercepted and boarded five suspected smuggling vessels, including one go-fast-style panga, while patrolling international waters off the coasts of Mexico and Central America.  Steadfast’s crew apprehended three suspected smugglers and seized 1,252 pounds of pure cocaine worth an estimated $21.5 million.

April 24, 2020

Coast Guard, Panamanian authorities stop drug smuggling operation near Panama

The Coast Guard stopped a drug smuggling operation, April 13, in international waters northeast of Panama.

April 13, 2020

U.S. Coast Guard, International Partners Seize 1,700 Pounds of Cocaine off Central American Coast

The U.S. Coast Guard and Costa Rican authorities seized approximately 1,700 pounds of cocaine Thursday with an estimated value of more than $29 million from a fishing boat in international waters of the Pacific Ocean off Central America.

Feb. 11, 2020

Coast Guard Offloads $338 Million of Cocaine in San Diego

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) offloaded nearly 20,000 pounds of cocaine Monday seized from known drug-transit zones of the Eastern Pacific Ocean worth approximately $338 million.

Feb. 7, 2020

USS Little Rock Departs on Maiden Deployment

Beginning its maiden deployment, USS Little Rock (LCS 9) departed its Mayport, Florida, homeport Feb. 6 for the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, where the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship will operate.

Feb. 6, 2020

Coast Guard, UK Royal Navy, U.S. Law Enforcement Seize Cocaine in the Caribbean Sea

The Coast Guard, United Kingdom Royal Navy and U.S. law enforcement partners seized 1,400 kilograms (3,086) pounds of cocaine and detained nine suspected smugglers following the interdiction of two separate drug smuggling events in the Caribbean Sea Jan. 24 and Jan. 30, 2020. The seized drug shipments are estimated to have a wholesale value of more than $46.2 million.

Oct. 17, 2019

Coast Guard offloads more than $92 million worth of cocaine in San Diego

The Coast Guard offloaded more than $92 million worth of seized cocaine in San Diego Wednesday. The cocaine was seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The contraband represents four suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by the crews of three Coast Guard cutters off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America between late July and early October by the following Coast Guard cutters: