MIAMI — Two local U.S. Coast Guard ships helped seized about 27,000 pounds of cocaine.
The drugs were interdicted off the coasts of Mexico, Central, and South America and represent 12 separate, suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard Cutter Dependable, homeported in Virginia Beach, is responsible for seizing two cases which contained just under 3,000 pounds of the narcotic.
A Portsmouth-based ship, Coast Guard Cutter Tampa, was able to snatch six cases or an estimated 18,200 pounds of cocaine.
A third ship, Coast Guard Cutter Venturous homeported in St. Petersburg, Florida, seized four cases equaling about 7,200 pounds of cocaine.
"Tampa's crew is extremely proud of the work they accomplished over the past three months. There are few things more frustrating to our sailors than idle deployments, and none more gratifying than accomplishing a very important mission with impacts that resound across our Nation. For many of the crew, this will be their last deployment on Tampa, and it's one they will always remember.” said Cmdr. Nicholas Simmons, commanding officer of the Tampa
The Coast Guard increased the U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off of Central and South America. During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially located and tracked by allied, military or law enforcement personnel.