Coast Guard unloads $377-million worth of seized drugs in South Florida
The Coast Guard Cutter James crew stands aboard the cutter October 28, 2019, in Port Everglades, Florida. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Erik Villa Rodriguez.
PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. - The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday showed off over 38,000 pounds of illegal drugs that were confiscated at sea over the last several weeks.
The drugs were snagged during 18 separate interdictions in international waters, including the Caribbean Basin and the eastern Pacific Ocean. Officials said the haul included 27,300 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $367-million, and 11,000 pounds of seized marijuana, worth an estimated $10.1-million.
Crews are now working to offload the drugs from the Coast Guard Cutter James at Port Everglades.
Pallets of drugs lined the deck of the ship Monday as the Coast Guard's commandant joined the James' commanding officer to announce the results of the effort.
“Behind me is more than 19 tons of narcotics seized,” USCG Capt. Jeffrey Randall said.
Coast Guard officials thanked their international partners for their help with the drug bust, WSVN-TV reported, and representatives of the Colombian Navy were also on hand for the press conference.
Adm. Karl Schulz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Rear Adm. José Jauquín Amézquita García, head of Naval planning for the Colombian Navy, Capt. Jeffrey Randall, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter James (WMSL-754) provide a press briefin