Over $362M in drugs offloaded by U.S. Coast Guard in Florida

MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — In a historic operation, the U.S. Coast Guard offloaded 49,010 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $362 million in Florida — the largest amount ever seized by a single cutter during one patrol.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced on Wednesday that its Cutter Stone’s crew offloaded the illicit drugs at Port Everglades. This offload marks the largest amount of cocaine seized by a single cutter in one patrol in Coast Guard history.

The seized contraband resulted from 15 interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, according to the news release.

“I am extremely proud of the crew’s incredible performance during this deployment,” said Capt. Anne O’Connell, commanding officer, Coast Guard Cutter Stone. “This offload demonstrates our increased posture and continued success in the fight against narco-terrorism and transnational criminal organizations.”

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The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter StoneU.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron JacksonvilleJoint Interagency Task Force-SouthCoast Guard Southeast District watchstandersCoast Guard Southwest District watchstanders

80% of interdictions of U.S.-bound drugs occur at sea, according to the USCG. U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force -South, based in Key West, conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs.

The Coast Guard says it continues increased operations to interdict, seize and disrupt transshipments of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs by sea. These drugs fuel and enable cartels and transnational criminal organizations to produce and traffic illegal fentanyl, threatening the United States.

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