Global Courant
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has intercepted more than 14,000 pounds of cocaine worth more than $186 million in multiple seizures in international waters, the agency said Saturday.
Coast Guard crews unloaded the illegal narcotics in Miami on Friday after nine separate seizures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, the Coast Guard said in a press release.
Multiple USCG crews and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations aircrew intercepted the suspected smugglers.
Officials said 12 suspected smugglers have also been taken into custody and face federal prosecution.
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More than 14,000 pounds of cocaine were seized in nine separate cases in international waters across the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the Coast Guard said. (U.S. Coast Guard)
“The contraband unloaded today represents the professional expertise and dedication of U.S. defense and law enforcement agencies working together to combat the flow of illicit drugs across the Caribbean into the United States,” said Lieutenant Peter Hutchison, duty officer of the U.S. Coast Guard District. Seven, said in the release. “This teamwork is absolutely necessary for the identification, interception and seizure of vessels involved in illegal trade and a testament to the hard work of these crews.”
Coast Guard crews also arrested 12 suspected smugglers, all of whom face federal prosecution. (U.S. Coast Guard)
Details about the suspects, where the drugs came from or where they went were not immediately provided.
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The cocaine had an estimated value of more than $186 million. (U.S. Coast Guard)
According to a March report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, production of and demand for cocaine has increased around the world over the past two years. The report found that the surge in supply followed an initial slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Globally, cocaine shipment interceptions by law enforcement also saw a sharp rise, reaching a record of nearly 2,000 tons in 2021.
