MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to offload 18,000 pounds of cocaine in San Diego

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 12/18/2019 03:02 AM EST

united states coast guard 

Media Advisory  

Nov. 18, 2019
U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area
Contact: Coast Guard Pacific Area Public Affairs
PADET San Diego: (619) 278-7025
After Hours: (619) 252-1304
D11-DG-M-PACAREA-PA@uscg.mil
Pacific Area online newsroom

 

MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to offload 18,000 pounds of cocaine in San Diego

 

VIDEO: Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean VIDEO: Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean VIDEO: Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean
Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean
Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crews interdict suspected drug-smuggling vessel in Eastern Pacific Ocean

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

WHO: Vice Adm. Linda L. Fagan, Coast Guard Pacific Area commander, U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer, Southern District of California, and Principal Deputy Administrator Preston Grubbs, Drug Enforcement Agency.

 

WHAT: The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf is scheduled to offload approximately 18,000 pounds of cocaine seized from the drug transit zones of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

 

WHEN: Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.

 

WHERE: 10th Avenue Marine Terminal at 1150 Terminal St., San Diego, CA 92101

 

Editor's Note: Media interested in attending should arrive at 9 a.m. and bring a government-issued photo ID, press credentials, proof of vehicle registration and insurance. Media will be escorted to the event location following security screening.

 

SAN DIEGO — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf (WMSL 750) is scheduled to offload approximately 18,000 pounds of cocaine Wednesday seized from known drug-transit zones of the Eastern Pacific Ocean worth approximately $312 million.

 

The interdictions were made between mid-October and early December by the joint efforts of the following five separate Coast Guard cutter crews:

  • Northland (WMEC 904) was responsible for one case seizing 3,328 pounds
  • James (WMSL 754) was responsible for one case seizing 1,609 pounds
  • Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) was responsible for one case seizing 5,037 pounds
  • Thetis (WMEC 910) was responsible for one case seizing 2,394 pounds
  • Bertholf was responsible for three cases seizing 5,851 pounds

 

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security cooperated 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 fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys in districts across the nation.

 

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 is conducted under the authority of the 11th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda, California. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

 

The Northland is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia. The James is 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Charleston, South Carolina. The Harriet Lane is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth. The Thetis is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Key West. The Bertholf is a 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Alameda.

 

-USCG-