MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Newly commissioned cutter returns from first Eastern Pacific patrol with 2,800 pounds of cocaine

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 08/29/2019 01:30 AM EDT

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 11th District PA Detachment LA/LB
Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment LA/LB
Office: (310) 521-4260
After Hours: (310) 781-0619
PA Detachment LA/LB online newsroom

Newly commissioned cutter returns from first Eastern Pacific patrol with 2,800 pounds of cocaine

A U. S. Coast Guard boarding team in an interceptor boat deployed from the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC-1130) approaches a suspected drug smuggling vessel in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean July 16, 2019, during a patrol of drug transit zones in the region. An estimated 3,000 pounds of cocaine were discovered aboard the vessel and three suspected smugglers were detained. (U.S. Coast Guard video)
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ward (WPC-1130) crew members retrieve bales of cocaine discovered drifting in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean August 22, 2019. The crew also intercepted some 3,000 pounds of cocaine from a suspected smuggling vessel on July 16. Ward, a Fast Response Cutter, was commissioned in March and was in the region on its first counter smuggling patrol in the eastern Pacific. (U.S. Coast Guard photo) A U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ward (WPC-1130) crew member obtains a sample of cocaine for testing after several bales of the illegal drug were discovered drifting in international waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean August 22, 2019. The crew also intercepted some 3,000 pounds of cocaine from a suspected smuggling vessel on July 16. Ward, a Fast Response Cutter, was commissioned in March and was in the region on its first counter smuggling patrol in the eastern Pacific. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Editor’s Note: Media attending this event must RSVP with Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment Los Angeles-Long Beach personnel at (310) 781-0619 no later than 6 a.m. Thursday. All media must have government-issued identification and media credentials to gain access to Coast Guard Base Los Angeles-Long Beach. Entry to the terminal will be allowed to media on the day of the event at 7:30 a.m.

WHO: Rear Adm. Peter W. Gautier, the 11th Coast Guard District commander, Lt. Benjamin Davne, the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward commanding officer.

WHAT: The crew of the Robert Ward is scheduled to return from patrol with approximately 2,800 pounds of cocaine seized from suspected drug smugglers in drug transit zones of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

WHEN: Thursday at 8 a.m. 

WHERE: Coast Guard Base Los Angeles-Long Beach at 1001 S. Seaside Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731.

SAN PEDRO, Calif. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC-1130) is scheduled to return from their first patrol of the drug transit zones of the Eastern Pacific Ocean with approximately 2,800 pounds of seized cocaine Thursday.

The cocaine, worth an estimated $38.5 million, was seized by the crews of the Robert Ward and another Coast Guard cutter patrolling the region. An additional estimated 3,000 pounds of cocaine, seized by the crew of the Robert Ward in mid-July in the cutter’s first ever drug bust, was transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) and brought ashore in San Diego last month as part of a 13-ton bulk offload.

“The Cutter Robert Ward and three other newly-commissioned cutters based in San Pedro are strengthening the Coast Guard’s safety, security and counter-smuggling efforts along our coast and in the shipping zones off Central and South America,” said Rear Adm. Peter W. Gautier, the 11th Coast Guard District commander. “I’m proud of the Ward’s crew and applaud their actions to disrupt the cartels that profit from crime, addiction and ruined American lives.”

The Robert Ward is one of four newly commissioned Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) homeported in San Pedro as part of the Coast Guard’s efforts to strengthen forces in the region and increase safety, security and emergency response capabilities.  

“This was a fantastic patrol,” said Lt. Benjamin Davne, Robert Ward’s commanding officer. “We helped stem the flow of illegal drugs by seizing and disrupting more than three tons of cocaine. We saved lives by keeping these drugs off the streets. Our crew is in friendly competition with other fast response cutter crews stationed in other parts of the nation and on our first patrol we are already credited with the second largest cocaine seizure and disruption rate for any Coast Guard ship in our class.” 

The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys in districts across the nation.

The Coast Guard increased U.S. and allied presence in the 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, a suspect vessel is initially detected and monitored by allied, military or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West, Florida. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is conducted under the authority of the 11th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda.

Commissioned in March, the Robert Ward is one of four recently commissioned FRCs assigned to the 11th Coast Guard District to bolster Coast Guard safety and security operations in the Pacific Southwest region.

-USCG-