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A massive Coast Guard cocaine seizure resulted in more than $200M in illicit drugs being just offloaded at a sun-swept Florida port. And while most people think of the USCG as the military branch that searches for boats that have gone missing or make sure that partying off the coast doesn’t go too far, the reality is that they’re plaguing a vital role in disrupting the drug trafficking trade worldwide..
This recent seizure of over $211 million worth of cocaine within just one week shows the gravity and impact of the Coast Guard’s mission on the water.
The crews of the Coast Guard Cutter Thetis and a Jacksonville, Florida based helicopter embarked on patrols in the eastern Pacific ocean and between May 3rd and May 10th, they made four separate discoveries and seizures that totaled over 33,000 pounds of cocaine.
Had these seizures not happened, this cocaine would have ultimately landed in the hands of the public, potentially contributing to overdoses, violent crime, and worsening addictions that take over their victims’ lives.
The first seizure happened on May 3rd when the crew spotted two suspicious vessels west of Mexico, where they ultimately recovered 4,630 pounds of cocaine. Just two days later, the helicopter crew spotted a bale field where they found and confiscated nearly 10,000 pounds of cocaine.
The following day, the crew had the largest seizure of their patrol when they recovered 14,559 pounds of cocaine from a bale field. Finally, on May 10th, they seized nearly 4,000 pounds of cocaine from another bale field in the region.
Successes like this highlight not only the vital work that the Coast Guard does but also the astounding amount of illegal drugs that are preparing to hit the streets at any given time. It shows us just how important addiction treatment and prevention efforts are because the supply will always be there, creating opportunities that can devastate lives.
