Coast Guard officials said the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast crew recently returned to its homeport in Astoria, Ore., after a 57-day eastern Pacific Ocean counter-narcotics patrol.
Authorities said the mission included the deployment of an aviation detachment from Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) from Jacksonville, Florida. The HITRON unit provided airborne use of force capability, which assisted in the interdiction of four go-fast vessels suspected of illegal narcotics smuggling.
Additionally, Steadfast patrolled with a counter-narcotics subject matter expert from the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team (TACLET).
“The crew put a phenomenal amount of work into readying the cutter for this deployment and sharpening the skill sets required for counter-narcotics operations,” Cmdr. Craig Allen, Steadfast’s commanding officer, said. “Their efforts paid dividends during the smooth execution of several challenging evolutions throughout the patrol. Our HITRON aircrew and TACLET member were an outstanding addition to the Steadfast team. I’m extremely proud of the crew’s accomplishments, and I’m also grateful to the Steadfast families who held down the homefront during a turbulent two months that included ongoing COVID-19 challenges and wildfires.”
Steadfast traveled more than 10,000 miles conducting law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and marine life protection operations, officials said, adding crews boarded five suspected smuggling vessels – seizing 3,905 pounds of pure cocaine worth an estimated $67 million and detaining eight suspected drug traffickers.
Steadfast has been homeported in Astoria since 1994.