Coast Guard Seizes 27,000 Pounds Of Cocaine From Smugglers

MIAMI BEACH, FL -- On Friday morning, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa (WMEC-902) offloaded more than 27,000 pounds of cocaine seized in international waters in the Easter Pacific Ocean in recent weeks.

The crew offloaded the massive haul of cocaine at at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach. The cocaine has an estimated wholesale value of $360 million.

The drugs were interdicted off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America and represent 12 separate, suspected drug-smuggling vessel interdictions by the U.S. Coast Guard:

• The Coast Guard Cutter Dependable (WMEC-626) was responsible for two cases, seizing an estimated 2,926 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Tampa (WMEC-902) was responsible for six cases, seizing an estimated 18,239 pounds of cocaine.
• The Coast Guard Cutter Venturous (WMEC-625) was responsible for four cases, seizing an estimated 7,218 pounds of cocaine.

"Tampa's crew is extremely proud of the work they accomplished over the past three months. There are few things more frustrating to our sailors than idle deployments, and none more gratifying than accomplishing a very important mission with impacts that resound across our nation," said Cmdr. Nicholas Simmons, commanding officer of the Tampa. "For many of the crew, this will be their last deployment on Tampa, and it's one they will always remember.”

The Coast Guard increased U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off of Central and South America, as part of its Western Hemisphere Strategy.

During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially located and tracked by allied, military or law enforcement personnel. The interdictions, including the actual boarding, are led and conducted by U.S. Coast Guardsmen. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard 11th District headquartered in Alameda, California.

The cutter Tampa is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia. The cutter Venturous is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in St. Petersburg. The cutter Dependable is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Virginia Beach, Virginia. LEDET 107 is permanently assigned to the Pacific Area Tactical Law Enforcement Team in San Diego, California.

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security are involved in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with allied and international partner agencies play a role in counter-drug operations.

The cutter Tampa participated in the first joint boarding in recent memory between the United States and Ecuador.

U.S. Coast Guard deputy commandant for operations, Vice Adm. Daniel Abel, and the captain of the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, Cmdr. Nicholas Simmons, discuss the offload of 27,000 pounds of seized cocaine in Miami Beach. The seized contraband is the result of several interdictions by U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security partners in the Eastern Pacific.