PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Coast Guard offloads more than $148 million of illegal narcotics in Miami

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast
Contact: 7th District Public Affairs
Office: 305-415-6683
After Hours: 786-367-7649
7th District online newsroom

Coast Guard offloads more than $148 million of illegal narcotics in Miami

Bales of contraband are stacked in front of the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless (WMEC-624) at Base Miami Beach, Dec. 7, 2021. The contraband was part of more than $148 million of illegal narcotics offloaded by the Dauntless crew. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Zimmerman) Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless' (WMEC-624) crew offloads more than $148 million in illegal narcotics at Base Miami Beach, Dec. 7, 2021. The contraband was seized by members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Knight and the His Netherlands Majesty’s Ship Holland during three separate interdictions in the Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Zimmerman) A crew member of the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless offloads a bale of illegal narcotics at Base Miami Beach, Florida, Dec. 7, 2021. The contraband was seized by members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Knight and the His Netherlands Majesty’s Ship Holland during three separate interdictions in the Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Zimmerman)

 

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MIAMI— Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless’ crew offloaded more than $148 million of illegal narcotics at Base Miami Beach, Tuesday, from three separate interdictions in the Caribbean Sea, in the past two weeks.

Following the three interdictions, nine suspected drug smugglers with Dominican Republic and Colombian nationalities were apprehended. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Knight crew seized approximately 1,200 pounds of cocaine, and Coast Guard Cutter William Trump and the His Netherlands Majesty’s Ship Hollands' crew seized approximately 6,700 pounds of cocaine in two interdictions.

The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Puerto Rico, Southern District of Florida and the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting these cases.

“These successful interdictions are the result of professional partnerships between the Coast Guard, RFA Wave Knight, and HNLMS Holland crews,” said Hansel Pintos, Seventh District spokesperson. “The Coast Guard's strong international partnerships, counter threats in the maritime domain, protect each of our countries from transnational organized crime, and work to stabilize and promote good governance in the region.”

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

The fight against drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices 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 operations in the Caribbean Sea is conducted under the authority of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard. 

For more information about RFA Wave Knight: RFA Wave Knight (A389) | Royal Navy (mod.uk)

For more information about HNLMS Holland: HNLMS Holland P-840 Offshore Patrol Vessel OPV Netherlands Navy (seaforces.org)

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