MIAMI, Fla. (WWSB) -- The Coast Guard Cutter James crew offloaded approximately 16 tons of cocaine Tuesday in Port Everglades worth an estimated $420 million wholesale seized in international waters off the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Vice Adm. Karl Schultz, Commander of Coast Guard Atlantic Area said, "Our persistent maritime presence in drug trafficking zones from cutters like James, enables us to interdict bulk quantities of drugs at sea, preventing criminal networks' illicit cargoes from reaching the shores of Central America, and land routes into the United States."
Over a 26-day period, the drugs were seized along Central and South America.
The offload represents 17 separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdiction's by U.S. Coast Guard crews, Canadian crews and inter-agency partners.
#USCG offloaded approximately 16 tons of cocaine in Port Everglades w/ @USCG Cutter James & HITRON. Check it out https://t.co/4HBvU0m4by pic.twitter.com/cfTOlAiW8U
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) March 28, 2017
