PORT EVERGLADES, FLA. (WSVN) - The United States Coast Guard is preparing to offload millions of dollars worth of drugs at Port Everglades.
More than 27,000 pounds of cocaine and 11,000 pounds of marijuana were taken from the wrong hands during 18 interdictions in the international waters of the Caribbean Basin and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
At the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter James. This is how 28,000 pounds of interdicted cocaine look like.
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“Behind me is more than 19 tons of narcotics seized,” USCG Capt. Jeffrey Randall said at a press conference.
The operation took around six to eight weeks.
“It’s pretty exciting to see it all stacked up in one spot and see the effects of the work that went into this,” said Officer John Groen.
Officials said the cocaine seized has an estimated street value of $367 million, and the marijuana is worth $10.1 million.
All of it was laid out on the USCG Cutter James.
“The crew of James, operating in the dark of night and under challenging conditions, drove our boats, flew our helicopters to interdict drug smugglers operating in a variety of vessels,” Randall said.
The Colombian Navy was also present at the press conference.
“Drug trafficking is a tragedy and a threat that is taking lives and tearing apart urban and suburban communities in the United States as well as small villages in the rural areas of Colombia,” said Rear Admiral Jose Jauquin Amezquita Garcia, head of naval planning with the Colombian Navy.
Coast Guard officials thanked their international partners for their help with the drug bust.
“Through this cooperative effort that continues to grow and strengthen collective ability, we maintain the offensive against criminal networks and drug trafficking organizations,” Randall said.
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