SAN DIEGO — In just two months time, from May through June, the U.S. Coastguard along with other federal agencies and the Mexican Navy confiscated $158 million worth of cocaine and marijuana in the Pacific.
On July 17, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623) offloaded the drugs from the three ships that worked the seizures. Those three ships include the Coastguard cutters, Vigilant out of Cape Canaveral, Mohawk from Key West, Florida, and the Steadfast. a 210-foot medium endurance cutter out of Astoria, Oregon.
In all, the operation, in tandem with the Mexican navy, confiscated more than 11,600 pounds of cocaine and 5,500 pounds of marijuana.
"Counter-narcotics is an incredibly challenging and complex mission set," said Cmdr. Brock S. Eckel, Steadfast’s commanding officer from the San Diego Bay. "Detecting and interdicting smuggling vessels on the high seas requires expert teamwork and precise coordination."
Several U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security worked together in the effort. The Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), contributed to this counter-narcotic operation. These coordinated efforts underscore the strong collaboration between the U.S. and SEMAR, according to the Coast Guard.
“Nothing is guaranteed when a Coast Guard crew says ‘goodbye’ to loved ones and embarks on a multi-month patrol,” said Cmdr. Eckel. “However, our team worked incredibly hard, day and night, to stop three smuggling vessels, preventing more than five tons of illicit narcotics from reaching American soil. I am honored to serve with the amazing Steadfast crew and share in their success.”
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