After five interdictions by various vessels in international waters, the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche reportedly unloaded more than 6,325 pounds of cocaine and more than 13,220 pounds of marijuana in San Diego this week, bringing to bear a haul worth more than $166 million.
“The Coast Guard is dedicated to preventing illicit drugs from entering our country via the maritime environment,” Rear Adm. Andrew Sugimoto, Eleventh District commander, said. ”These transnational criminal networks will be met on the water by our vigilant service members, like the crew of the Waesche, at every turn and brought to justice by the U.S. Attorney’s office.”
The five interdictions stretched the coasts of Central and South America and February and March, with seizures taking place in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Waesche was personally responsible for two of these interdictions, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 881 pounds of cocaine and 9,500 pounds of marijuana. Another cutter, Active, made two interdictions of approximately 2,116 pounds of cocaine and 2,716 pounds of marijuana, while the cutter Steadfast undertook the last interdiction, seizing another approximately 3,300 pounds of cocaine.
For Waesche, though, this was its first counter-narcotics patrol in several years. These operations are often undertaken in collaboration between the Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with allied and international partner agencies.