Coast Guard offloads $180 million worth of cocaine at Port Everglades
FORT LAUDERDALE - A U.S. Coast Guard vessel offloaded more than 16,100 pounds of cocaine worth an assessed street value of approximately $182.8 million in Port Everglades.
On Monday, the Cutter Hamilton's crew worked alongside interagency and international partners to interdict the illicit narcotics in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off South and Central America.
Six suspected smugglers were transferred to federal custody and face prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Coast Guard crews often deploy to the U.S. Southern Command joint operating area, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. They conduct counter drug missions in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South.
This includes Panama Canal transits to deny transnational criminal organizations access to maritime trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
"I'm proud of our accomplishments during this three-and-a-half-month deployment," Capt. Justin Carter, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton, said in a news release. "The exceptional crew of Hamilton, with the support of an aircrew from Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Squadron, demonstrated the greatest professionalism, seamanship and airmanship while executing this important and challenging mission at sea in service to nation."
The Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs.
Hamilton is one of four 418-foot national security cutters homeported in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Hamilton's 150 personnel leverage use sensor, electronic, engineering, weapons systems, pursuit boats and aircraft.
