US Coast Guard cutter returns from Eastern Pacific patrols with over one tonne of seized drugs

The crew of the US Coast Guard Sentinel-class cutter Robert Ward has arrived at its homeport of San Pedro near Los Angeles with approximately 1.27 tonnes of cocaine seized during patrols in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The cocaine, worth an estimated US$38.5 million, was seized by the crews of Robert Ward and another coast guard cutter patrolling the region.

An additional estimated 1.36 tonnes of cocaine, seized by the crew of Robert Ward in mid-July in the cutter’s first ever drug bust, was transferred to USCGC Steadfast and brought ashore in San Diego last month as part of an 11-tonne bulk offload.

The patrols were conducted in known drug transit zones off of Central and South America.