FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - The United States Coast Guard offloaded approximately 10 tons of cocaine and 23 kilograms of heroin in Fort Lauderdale.
7Skyforce HD flew over Port Everglades, where the Coast Guard Cutter Spencer docked, Tuesday morning. “There are cartels involved, obviously,” said John Gross of the USCG, “so we take every precaution that we have to.”
According to officials, the drugs were seized through several separate drug smuggling vessel interdictions off the Eastern Pacific Ocean. “This offload represents 14 separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by Spencer and six other vessels,” said USCG Capt. John McTamney.
The drugs have an estimated wholesale value of $300 million.
When asked what the Coast Guard does next with the drugs, an official said, “They put it into a truck and transport it to whatever facility. They’re gonna process it and ultimately destroy it.”
USCG’s Allen Rosario of Pembroke Pines said he knows how cocaine can affect South Florida. “I know that drugs like cocaine destroy people’s lives,” said Rosario. “I’ve seen it destroy people’s lives in the past. I’m just happy to be home, for all the drugs to be seized and be gone.”
Officials said they have detained 40 people during the seizure and that the majority of the drugs were in Colombia. “It’s going to be an ongoing thing,” said the USCG’s Andrew Kuhl.
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