The US Coast Guard medium endurance cutter USCGC Active returned to her home port of Port Angeles, Washington, on Sunday December 21, concluding a 60-day counter-narcotics deployment to the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of Operation Pacific Viper.
Active's crew of 75 coast guard personnel patrolled 10,000 nautical miles and interdicted two suspected drug-smuggling vessels, seizing more than 6,000 pounds (2,700 kg) of cocaine with an estimated street value of US$41.3 million.
Within a 72-hour period, Active's crew interdicted two "go-fast" vessels, which are designed to evade detection, while patrolling international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
On November 25, with assistance from the US Coast Guard national security cutter USCGC James, Active's pursuit team travelled more than 60 nautical miles aboard a small boat to intercept a 30-foot (nine-metre) go-fast vessel, seizing more than 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg) of cocaine and detaining three suspected smugglers.
Three days later, Active's crew, working with the medium endurance cutter USCGC Escanaba, intercepted a 40-foot (12-metre) go-fast vessel, seizing more than 2,400 pounds (1,100 kg) of cocaine and detaining three suspected smugglers.
The seized narcotics were offloaded in San Diego, and the suspects were turned over to federal law enforcement agents.
