Returning Coast Guard Cutter To Unload Nearly 10 Tons Of Illegal Drugs In Alameda
ALAMEDA (CBS SF/BCN) -- The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro will stop at its home base in Alameda Tuesday, offloading nearly 10 tons of illegal drugs seized from smugglers in the Pacific Ocean.
The crew will offload 11,450 pounds of marijuana and 8,200 pounds of cocaine confiscated since January off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America.
"Our crew intercepted a group of suspected smugglers, on average, every 90 hours for 45 days straight, seizing nearly 30,000 pounds of cocaine and marijuana valued at over $330 million," said Coast Guard Vice Adm. Linda Fagan.
On its way home, the cutter had already made a stop in San Diego to drop off 12 people detained on drug charges, along with 9,200 pounds of cocaine and 2,150 pounds of marijuana.
The haul represents the results of 15 interdictions of smuggling boats by three ships from the Coast Guard (the cutters Munro, Bear and Vigilant) and one from the Navy (the USS Freedom).
On April 2020, U.S. Southern Command has increased counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs.
Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security were cooperating in the effort to combat transnational organized crime.
The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are in charge with enforcement and drug seizures.
