News

Tag: Counterdrug

The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) departs Naval Station Mayport for her maiden deployment, Mar. 26, 2025. LCS 21 is deploying to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations is support of counter-illicit drug trafficking operations.

April 17, 2025

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul Makes Multiple Drug Busts

CARIBBEAN SEA — The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), in coordination with joint partners, stopped two alleged drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean Sea within a 72-hour span.

Sailors aboard USS St. Louis (LCS 19) man the lines as the ship arrives at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, after a deployment to the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Feb. 25, 2025

USS St. Louis (LCS 19) Completes Maiden Deployment to Fourth Fleet

MAYPORT, FLORIDA — USS St. Louis (LCS 19), a Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), returned to Naval Station Mayport this week, concluding its maiden deployment to the U.S. Fourth Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Photo of a single engine aircraft the United States donated to the Dominican Republic.

Feb. 20, 2024

US Government Donates Aircraft to Dominican Republic to Combat Narcotics Trafficking

The United States Government, through the Department of Defense, donated an aircraft valued at more than US$8 million to the Ministry of Defense of the Dominican Republic, in support of the shared fight against illicit trafficking of narcotics by transnational criminal organizations and in support of the country's efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in cases of disasters.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute pose in front of interdicted drugs, Jan. 29, 2024, in St. Petersburg, FL. Drug interdiction is one of the 11 statutory missions of the Coast Guard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg)

Jan. 30, 2024

Coast Guard Cutter Resolute returns home, offloads approximately $55M worth of drugs in Tampa Bay

Coast Guard Cutter Resolute (WMEC 620) and crew returned from a 60-day counterdrug patrol and offloaded approximately $55 million worth of illicit narcotics, Monday, in St. Petersburg.

A crew member from Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell offloads illicit narcotics at Coast Guard Base Miami, Jan. 9, 2024.

Jan. 10, 2024

Coast Guard offloads more than $32 million in illegal narcotics

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Margaret Norvell offloaded more than 2,450 pounds of cocaine with an assessed street value of approximately $32.2 million in Miami, Tuesday.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba’s crew offload more than 7,700 pounds of cocaine worth over $102 million at Port Everglades, Florida, Nov. 15, 2023. The offloaded drugs were interdicted during four separate cases in the international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean by the crews of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, Escanaba, a U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew, a Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team, and federal and international partners.

Nov. 21, 2023

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba returns home to Portsmouth, Virginia, after interdicting $102 million worth of illegal narcotics

The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba returned home to Portsmouth, Monday, following a 51-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Escanaba’s crew disrupted illegal narcotics smuggling, interdicting 3,520 kilograms of cocaine valued at more than $102 million.

Coast Guard members offload interdicted, illegal drugs in San Diego, March 28, 2023.

July 18, 2023

Coast Guard crew offloads more than $158 million worth of narcotics in San Diego

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623) offloaded more than 11,600 pounds of cocaine and 5,500 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $158 million in San Diego, Monday.

Members of U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 406 push bales of illegal narcotics aboard USS Farragut (DDG 99) for a drug offload in Port Everglades, Florida, April 4, 2023.

April 6, 2023

USS Farragut, Coast Guard offloads more than $69 million in illegal narcotics

The crew of USS Farragut (DDG 99) offloaded approximately 2,314 kilograms of cocaine and 1,986 pounds of marijuana worth a combined $69 million in Port Everglades, Florida Tuesday. The suspected smugglers will face prosecution in federal court by the Department of Justice.

March 9, 2023

Coast Guard offloads more than $160 million in illegal narcotics

The crew of the USCGC Spencer (WMEC 905) offloaded approximately 4810 kilos of cocaine worth over $160.3 million in Port Everglades, Wednesday. Along with the illicit narcotics, eight suspected smugglers were apprehended and face prosecution in federal court by the Department of Justice.

Approximately 315 kilograms of suspected cocaine sits on the flight deck of USS Milwaukee.

Jan. 18, 2022

USS Milwaukee Seizes $22 Million in Suspected Cocaine

The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) with embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 402 seized an estimated $22 million in suspected cocaine, Jan. 7, 2022.