The US Coast Guard offloaded more than 12,750 pounds (5,783 kilograms) of cocaine and marijuana valued at approximately $94.5 million in Port Everglades, Florida, on Tuesday following a series of interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The drugs were seized by the crew of the 270-foot (82-metre) cutter Seneca, which was deployed in support of "Operation Pacific Viper", a counter-narcotics initiative launched in August to disrupt maritime drug trafficking from Central and South America.
According to the coast guard, the operation has so far resulted in the interdiction of more than 80,000 pounds (36,287 kilograms) of cocaine. The service said the operation involves coordination with interagency and international partners, with additional cutters, aircraft, and tactical teams deployed to increase interdiction capability.
“I’m incredibly proud of the teamwork and adaptability displayed by my crew and our partners during this patrol to stop illicit drug flow from entering the United States,” said Captain Lee Jones, commanding officer of Seneca.
The coast guard confirmed that 29 suspected smugglers were transferred to federal custody following the interdictions. Other participating assets included the cutters Venturous, Hamilton, Midgett, and Stone, supported by Joint Interagency Task Force–South.
Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific are conducted under the authority of the US Coast Guard’s Southwest District, headquartered in Alameda, California.
The coast guard stated that maritime interdiction accounts for 80 per cent of narcotics seizures bound for the United States.
Seneca is a Portsmouth, Virginia-based Famous-class medium endurance cutter with a crew of 100.
