Coast Guard interdicts vessel transporting narcotics off southern Texas

united states coast guard 

 News Release  

Dec. 18, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
Contact: Lt. Karl Alejandre
Office: (361) 438-0176 

Coast Guard interdicts vessel transporting narcotics off southern Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Corpus Christi crews detected and interdicted a Mexican lancha boat crew suspected of illegally transporting narcotics while in federal waters Tuesday morning off southern Texas.

One lancha, three subjects and 30 bales of marijuana totaling 1,500 pounds were interdicted in the vicinity of Packery Channel near Port Aransas.

With help from interagency resources, an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew from Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi positively identified the lancha, tracked it and vectored in surface assets from Coast Guard Station Port Aransas and CBP Air and Marine Operations. CBP agents successfully interdicted the lancha at 4:15 a.m. The lancha, three subjects and 30 bales were taken to Coast Guard Station Port Aransas for later transfer to appropriate authorities. 

“The U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary line continues to be a volatile area with a high amount of illicit activity,” said Cmdr. Keith Pierre, the chief of response at Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. “Through coordination with our partners, we successfully detected a lancha north of the maritime boundary line transporting illegal narcotics and prevented it from harming our communities.”

A lancha is a fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen that is approximately 20-30 feet long with a slender profile, typically has one outboard motor, and is capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 30 mph.

Lanchas are frequently used to transport illegal narcotics to the U.S. and fish illegally in the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone near the U.S.-Mexico border in the Gulf of Mexico.

Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi has detected 139 lanchas, 29 of which were interdicted, that were north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime border in 2017.

If you witness suspicious activity or illegal fishing in state waters (out to 9 miles offshore), please contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s “Operation Game Thief” at 1-800-792-GAME (4263).

For all suspicious activity or illegal fishing occurring in federal waters (out to 200 miles offshore), please contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-6393.

-USCG-