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U.S. Coast Guard offloads $390 MILLION worth of cocaine and marijuana seized in international waters

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U.S. Coast Guard in San Diego seizes $390 MILLION worth of cocaine and marijuana from 13 boats

  • 26,000lbs of cocaine and marijuana has been seized by the U.S. Coast Guard
  • The drugs are estimated to be worth around $390 million 
  • They were seized in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean
  •  So far in 2020, more than 282,000lbs of cocaine and 57,000lbs of marijuana have been seized together with 391 suspected drug smugglers

The U.S. Coast Guard has seized more than 26,000lbs of cocaine and marijuana with the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf scheduled to offload the drugs at the port of San Diego.  

The drugs, which were seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean have been estimated by the Coast Guard to be worth around $390 million.

The narcotics were seized from 13 suspected drug smuggling vessels that took place off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America between late May and the end of August. 

US Coast Guard crewmen, DEA agents and other law enforcement officials prepare to offload bundles of drugs aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf on Thursday in San Diego, California

US Coast Guard crewmen, DEA agents and other law enforcement officials prepare to offload bundles of drugs aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf on Thursday in San Diego, California

The crew seized more than 26,00 pounds of cocaine and marijuana from suspected drug smugglers in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

The crew seized more than 26,00 pounds of cocaine and marijuana from suspected drug smugglers in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

The latest haul from the Bertholf comes just weeks after another 11,500lbs of cocaine was seized along with 17,000lbs of marijuana from the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton. 

It has been a busy year when it comes to drug busts with 171 so far in 2020. 

More than 282,000lbs of cocaine and 57,000lbs of marijuana have been seized together with 391 suspected drug smugglers in bother the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. 

Federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s San Diego Field Division made scores of arrests and seized thousands of pounds of methamphetamine during a six-month crackdown on Mexican cartels that distribute the drug in the United States, the federal agency announced on Thursday. 

Jim Carroll, Director of National Drug Control Policy, speaks during a press conference in front of the Cutter Bertholf on Thursday  in San Diego, California

Jim Carroll, Director of National Drug Control Policy, speaks during a press conference in front of the Cutter Bertholf on Thursday  in San Diego, California

Video footage of the cost guard raid out at sea has also been shared as part of the bust

Video footage of the cost guard raid out at sea has also been shared as part of the bust

So far in 2020, the Coast Guard has made more than 171 busts, seized more than 282,000 pounds of cocaine and 57,000 pounds of marijuana

So far in 2020, the Coast Guard has made more than 171 busts, seized more than 282,000 pounds of cocaine and 57,000 pounds of marijuana

‘Although the region has been locked down since March due to COVID, DEA has been working hard to stop ruthless cartels from bringing methamphetamine into our communities,’ said John Callery, special agent in charge of the agency’s San Diego-area division. 

The crackdown began on February 20th with investigators identifying major methamphetamine trafficking hubs in Atlanta, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Phoenix, San Diego and St. Louis. 

The nine cities account for more than 75 percent of methamphetamine seized by the DEA in 2019.

‘We will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of criminals who continually attempt to poison our schools, communities and environment with methamphetamine and its residual carnage,’ Callery said. 

The drugs, which were seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean have been estimated by the Coast Guard to be worth around $390 million

The drugs, which were seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean have been estimated by the Coast Guard to be worth around $390 million

The narcotics were seized from 13 suspected drug smuggling vessels that took place off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America between late May and late August

The narcotics were seized from 13 suspected drug smuggling vessels that took place off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America between late May and late August

The drugs were all laid out on the deck of the Coast Guard ship before being offloaded

The drugs were all laid out on the deck of the Coast Guard ship before being offloaded 

Drug raids on the open seas in 2020

More than 282,000lbs of cocaine and 57,000lbs of marijuana have been seized together with 391 suspected drug smugglers in both the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea so far in 2020.

The raids took place multiple Coast Guard and Navy ships

The ships included:

• The Coast Guard Cutter BERTHOLF (WMSL-750) crew was responsible for two interdictions seizing approximately 6,700 pounds of cocaine.

• The Coast Guard Cutter STRATTON (WMSL-752) crew was responsible for three interdictions seizing approximately 6,000 pounds of cocaine.

• The Coast Guard Cutter CONFIDENCE (WMEC-619) crew was responsible for two interdictions seizing approximately 50 pounds of cocaine.

• The Coast Guard Cutter DECISIVE (WMEC-629) crew was responsible for one interdiction seizing approximately 1,900 pounds of cocaine.

• The Coast Guard Cutter VENTUROUS (WMEC-625) crew was responsible for one interdiction seizing approximately 1,100 pounds of cocaine.

• The Coast Guard Cutter TAMPA (WMEC-902) crew was responsible for two interdictions seizing approximately 1,600 pounds of cocaine and 3,650 pounds of marijuana.

• The USS KIDD (DDG-100) with embarked Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) was responsible for one interdiction seizing approximately 500 pounds of cocaine.

• The USS PREBLE (DDG-88) with embarked Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) was responsible for one interdiction seizing approximately 4,400 pounds of cocaine.



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