Watch CBS News

VIDEO: Alameda-Based Coast Guard Crew Makes Dramatic High Seas Drug Bust

ALAMEDA (CBS SF) -- The crew of the Alameda-based Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf made a dramatic stop of a drug smuggling fast boat in the waters of the Eastern Pacific last month, seizing more than 3,100 pound of suspected cocaine, officials said.

A video of the capture was released by the Coast Guard showing the dangers the Coast Guardsmen endure while battling drug smuggling on the open seas.

"This is hard, dangerous work for these crews," said Coast Guard Commander Vice Admiral Linda Fagan, who greeted the crew in San Diego Wednesday. "To gain access and to control those (drug) vessels. And then there is a just a lot of hard labor to get all of these narcotics off those small boats that the narco-traffickers are using."

Bertholf -- 418-foot national security cutter -- was responsible for three stops during its November deployment, seizing 5,851 pounds of suspected cocaine. It also collected another 12,000 or so pounds seized by other Coast Guard vessels and offloaded the cocaine in San Diego on Wednesday.

The Northland was responsible for one case seizing 3,328 pounds; the James had one case seizing 1,609 pounds, the Harriet Lane also had one case seizing 5,037 pounds and Thetis was responsible for one case seizing 2,394 pounds.

The haul had an estimated street value of approximately $312 million.

"These national security cutters have been game changers for us with our regard to our ability to these at sea interdictions," Fagan said. "This is an incredible success for this cutter -- the Bertholf as she comes home."

During at-sea interdictions, a suspect vessel is initially detected and monitored by allied, military or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West.

The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the 11th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda,

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.