U.S. Coast Guard crews led a multi-agency, multi-national effort to seize more than 5,500 pounds of drugs from smugglers in the Caribbean Sea. The seizures came during four separate interdictions leading to the seizure of 2,200 pounds of cocaine and 3,320 pounds of marijuana in the days leading up to America’s 249th Independence Day celebration.
“Stopping harmful and illicit narcotics from reaching our shores and entering our communities is a team effort,” said Cmdr. Brian Gismervik, Coast Guard Cutter Northland’s commanding officer. “In the dynamic maritime environment, it takes the combined efforts of our joint force DoD, DHS, and international partners to combat transnational criminal organizations.”
The Coast Guard reports that the multi-national task force included ships and law enforcement teams from the following countries:
- Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS William Hall
- Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS Friesland
- U.S. Navy ship USS Cole
- U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South, LEDET 404
- U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific, LEDET 103
- Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville
- USCG Seventh Coast Guard District staff
The interdictions came in the days leading up to the July 4th Independence Day weekend. Coast Guard officials sent the following:
Coast Guard officials stated:
Detecting and interdicting illicit drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. Joint Interagency Task Force-South, in Key West, conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once an interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard for the interdiction and apprehension phases. Interdictions in the Caribbean Sea are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guardcoast gu under the authority and control of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami.coast gu
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
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