The US Navy Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, in coordination with joint partners, stopped two alleged drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean Sea within a 72-hour span.
The LCS with an embarked US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 50, Detachment Three, made the two busts in the Caribbean, taking out vessels through a combination of air and surface operations.
The busts resulted in the confiscation of 580 kg of cocaine valued at US$9.46 million and marijuana valued at US$2.81 million.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul is currently assigned to Commander, Task Force 45 (CTF 45). CTF-45 is the Fourth Fleet surface task force charged with executing combined naval operations, building and strengthening Latin American, south of Mexico, and Caribbean maritime partnerships.
It also acts as a Department of Defense ready service provider to Joint Interagency Task Force South in support of counter illicit-drug trafficking operations in the Central and South American waters.