TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The U.S. Coast Guard has seized around 30,000 pounds of illegal drugs from drug smuggling vessels off the coasts of Central and South America with a street value of around $408 million.
About 23,000 pounds of cocaine and approximately 6,900 pounds of marijuana were discovered in vessels in international waters off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Sea.
In a statment obtained by the Sun Sentinel, the Coast Guard said about 20 suspects were taken into custody as a result of their operation, which consisted of eleven seizures. Four Coast Guard cutters and two U.S. Navy ships were involved.
The drugs were offloaded in Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday.
“We continue to take the fight to the drug cartels and make an impact on these criminal organizations who spread this poison on our streets,” said Capt. Jeffrey Randall, commanding officer of the cutter James.
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