Coast Guard and Navy Seize $13.6M in Cocaine in Caribbean Operation

Major Cocaine Seizure in the Caribbean

• 🚢 A joint operation between the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard resulted in the seizure of over 860 pounds of cocaine.
• 💰 The seized drugs have an estimated street value of approximately $13.6 million.
• 🎯 The USS Gravely, a Navy guided missile destroyer, teamed up with Coast Guard agents to discover a suspicious vessel on May 25th.
• 🚁 A Navy Seahawk helicopter provided aerial surveillance during the operation.
• 🌊 The cocaine was found in 19 bales on board the suspicious vessel.

Broader Implications for Homeland Security

• 🗺️ Federal authorities emphasize that this bust highlights that homeland security efforts extend beyond the southern border into open waters.
• ✈️ The operation was part of a larger homeland defense mission under US Northern Command, supported by surveillance aircraft from Florida.

Migrant Interceptions Off California Coast

• ⛵ In a separate incident just days before the cocaine seizure, the Coast Guard intercepted a migrant-packed sailboat off the coast of California near San Diego.
• 👥 Agents boarded a 25-ft sailboat and discovered 16 undocumented immigrants, all claiming to be from Mexico.
• ⚡ Another vessel, a high-speed style boat, was intercepted near the same area just two days prior, carrying 10 migrants from Mexico, Brazil, and El Salvador.
• 📈 Authorities note a growing trend of migrants entering the U.S. through these maritime routes rather than solely via the southern border.