The US Coast Guard delivered a pricey cargo to a port in San Diego on Tuesday – nearly 34,000 pounds of confiscated cocaine worth a whopping $468 million, officials said.
The drugs were seized by the Coast Guard Cutter Munro during eight high-seas busts by the maritime enforcement agency off the coast of Mexico and South America between Feb. 21 and March 23.
“The crew put in an incredible amount of work over very long hours, and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” cutter Capt. Rula Deisher said in a statement.
“Their dedication and grit goes to show that Munro is one of the best national security cutters in the fleet, and we are committed to keeping the country safe by stopping illegal drugs before they hit the street.”
The ship’s largest haul of illegal coke came on March 23, when the crew intercepted a drug runner and confiscated more than 4,700 pounds of the narcotic.
Coast Guard cutters typically cut off illicit shipments off the US coast and “offload” the goods – dropping them off at various American ports for federal drug, homeland security and other agencies.
In October, the Coast Guard announced the seizure of 33,200 pounds of cocaine and 12,400 pounds of marijuana – worth nearly $450 million – and dropped off the illegal cargo at Port Everglades.
This week’s delivery was particularly special, officials said.
“The effort put in while interdicting more than 33,000 lbs of cocaine in a few weeks’ time is unparalleled,” Coast Guard District 11 Rear Admiral Andrew Sugimoto said.
“We will continue our commitment to stopping these criminals and the vast amounts of drugs they attempt to bring into our country.”
