The United States Coast Guard on Tuesday brought ashore 13 tons of illicit drugs worth nearly $1billion that it says were captured in the waters off of Mexico, South and Central America.
The crew from the US Coast Guard Cutter Legare unloaded 12 tons of cocaine and one ton of marijuana in Port Everglades, Florida.
The Coast Guard says that the contraband was seized in a total of 17 operations involving the arrest of drug smugglers.
The Legare confiscated more than 4,500 pounds of cocaine on its own while the Cutter Reliance seized 2,600 pounds of marijuana in one bust alone, according to the Coast Guard.
The United States Coast Guard on Tuesday brought ashore 13 tons of illicit drugs worth nearly $1billion that it says were captured in the waters off of Mexico, South and Central America
The crew from the US Coast Guard Cutter Legare unloaded 12 tons of cocaine and one ton of marijuana in Port Everglades, Florida
The Legare confiscated more than 4,500 pounds of cocaine on its own while the Cutter Reliance seized 2,600 pounds of marijuana in one bust alone, according to the Coast Guard
The Canadian Navy also helped the Coast Guard in some of the seizures. While the drugs seized have a wholesale value of $390million, their street value reaches the vicinity of $1billion, according to the Miami Herald
The Canadian Navy also helped the Coast Guard in some of the seizures.
While the drugs seized have a wholesale value of $390million, their street value reaches the vicinity of $1billion, according to the Miami Herald.
‘What these numbers represent is an increased commitment by the US and international partners to combat transnational criminal networks and promote stability in the Central American region, along the US southern border, and in the southern maritime approaches to the US,’ Commander Jonathan Carter, commanding officer of the Legare, said in a statement.
‘Today’s offload sends them a message that our network of partners and allies remains resolute in our commitment to stem the flow of illicit trafficking that breeds instability.’
Last month, the Coast Guard offloaded 36,000 pounds of cocaine into a California pier
The cocaine was seized in naval operations conducted by American vessels in the Pacific Ocean
Last month, the Coast Guard offloaded 36,000 pounds of cocaine into a California pier, Military.com reported.
The cocaine was seized in naval operations conducted by American vessels in the Pacific Ocean.
The drugs, estimated to be worth around $500 million, were taken during 17 different seizures by five Coast Guard vessels during February and March, according to officials.
The Coast Guard stated the drug seizure operation is part of a ‘Western Hemisphere Strategy’ implemented in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean, believed to be ‘known drug-transit zones.’
Despite the Coast Guard’s best efforts, the illegal narcotics trade continues to flourish.
Drugs like cocaine generate an estimated tens of billions of dollars a year for exporters.
The top producers of cocaine are Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.
America’s growing demand for heroin also means billions of dollars for traffickers in Mexico – the largest supplier of the narcotic for the US market.