The U.S. Coast Guard on Oct. 3 unloaded more than 11 tons of cocaine that was seized during an operation from late August to mid-September in international waters.
The cocaine, which was found aboard eight suspected smuggling vessels in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico, Central America and South America, was estimated to be worth more than $300 million.
“That’s where the smugglers are most vulnerable, out at sea,” said Captain Craig J. Wieschhorster, Skipper of the CGC Stratton.
“Once this stuff reaches land whether it’s in Central America or the United States it gets broken down in smaller loads it’s hard to trace.”
Among the intercepted smuggling ships, six were stopped by the Cutter Stratton. Vessels Cutter Seneca and Active each stopped one respectively.
In July, the Coast Guard announced that $729 million worth of cocaine was confiscated in the waters off Central America, South American and the U.S. during a two-month operation.
