PORT EVERGLADES, FLA. (WSVN) - The U.S. Coast Guard seized drugs worth hundreds of millions of dollars at sea near the Eastern Pacific.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter James unloaded 18.5 tons of cocaine from the boat at Port Everglades, Thursday afternoon.
The drug bust came after a 70-day mission where the crew caught 15 separate boats that were smuggling the drugs off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America.
“They will potentially maneuver erratically to make it more difficult for us to get on board,” said Capt. Jeffrey Randall, “but in each case, we were able to actually effect a successful interdiction through the tactics, techniques and procedures we use onboard here.”
7Skyforce hovered over the scene where multiple crates of drugs could be seen. They have a street value of $500 million.
“If the cocaine reaches Central America, finds its [way] into the gangs, they’re gonna fight over who’s going to transport it,” said Brian Tesson with the U.S. Coast Guard, “and eventually, that violence is gonna feed its way into the folks who are in Central American countries, and they want to come to the United States to get away from it.”
The drugs were sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
Over 49 people were detained by authorities during the mission.
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