Coast Guard offloads more than $92 million worth of cocaine in San Diego

Coast Guardsmen prepare bails of cocaine to be offloaded from the Coast Guard Cutter Alert in San Diego, October 16, 2019. The crew aboard the Alert offloaded approximately 6,800 pounds of cocaine. 

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Gray.

SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard offloaded more than $92 million worth of seized cocaine in San Diego Wednesday.

The cocaine, worth more than $92 million, was seized in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The contraband represents four suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions by the crews of three Coast Guard cutters off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America between late July and early October by the following Coast Guard cutters:

• Alert (WMEC-630) was responsible for two cases, seizing approximately 4,000 pounds of cocaine
• Robert Ward (WPC-1130) was responsible for one case, seizing approximately 1,500 pounds of cocaine
• Seneca (WMEC-906) was responsible for one case, seizing approximately 1,400 pounds of cocaine

The Coast Guard Cutter Alert crew conducted a drug offload in San Diego, Oct. 16, 2019. The crew offloaded more than 6,800 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $92 million, seized in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. 

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Gray.

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security are involved in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with allied and international partner agencies play a role in counter-drug operations. The fight against transnational organized crime networks in the Eastern Pacific requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions to prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys throughout the country.

"I am extremely proud of this crew for doing their part to keep these dangerous drugs off the streets," said Cmdr. Tyson Scofield, Alert’s commanding officer. "The Eastern Pacific Ocean is a challenging environment, especially on a ship that is in her 50th year of service, yet this crew persevered to disrupt the illegal flow of narcotics that fuels instability in Central and South America. The counter-drug mission is as important now as it has ever been, and these brave men and women can return home after a 69-day patrol knowing they made a difference."

A suspected smuggling vessel drifts in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean after being intercepted by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert in October. Approximately 2,000 pounds of cocaine were seized and three suspected smugglers were detained. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The Coast Guard increased the U.S. and allied presence in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Basin, which are known drug transit zones off of Central and South America, as part of its Western Hemisphere Strategy. During at-sea interdictions in international waters, a suspect vessel is initially located and tracked by allied, military or law enforcement personnel. The interdictions, including the actual boarding, are led and conducted by U.S. Coast Guardsmen. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific is conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard 11th District headquartered in Alameda.

Bales of cocaine lie stacked under the deck of a suspected smuggling vessel in October interdicted by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Approximately 2,000 pounds of cocaine were seized and three suspected smugglers were detained. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The Alert is a 210-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Astoria, Oregon. The Robert Ward is a 154-foot fast-response cutter homeported in San Pedro. The Seneca is a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Coast Guard along with a good Samaritan assist a taking on water vessel with 2 people aboard 4 miles east of Fort Pierce Inlet

MIAMI — Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce 45-foot Response Boat – Medium boatcrew assisted the 80-foot vessel Hush Puppy 4 miles east of Fort Pierce Inlet Sunday.

Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce received a notification from the 80-foot vessel reporting experiencing water intrusion four miles east of Fort Pierce Inlet.

A good Samaritan vessel arrived on scene providing assistance dewatering and patching the vessel after the Station Fort Pierce crew safely embarked the two people aboard.

Station Fort Pierce crewmembers safely escorted the vessel to the North Fort Pierce terminal.

No injuries were reported.

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Coast Guard assists 3 near Clearwater, Florida

A Coast Guard Station Sand Key 45-foot Response Boat—Medium boatcrew assisted three people on a vessel taking on water 15 miles west of Clearwater, Florida, Oct. 12, 2019. The boatcrew escorted them safely back to Seminole Boat Ramp in Clearwater and provided assistance dewatering the 23-foot Seafox vessel. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Fireman Patrick Brown.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Coast Guard assisted three people on a vessel taking on water 15 miles west of Clearwater, Florida, Saturday evening.

A Coast Guard Station Sand Key 45-foot Response Boat—Medium boatcrew arrived on scene to remove two passengers and begin dewatering the 23-foot Seafox vessel.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a distress call on channel 16 at approximately 4:55 p.m. of the vessel taking on two gallons of water a minute and the pumps unable to keep up.

The passengers and vessel were safely escorted to the Seminole Boat Ramp in Clearwater.

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U.S. Coast Guard observes 75th anniversary of Ulithi Liberation alongside partners in FSM

USCGC Kiska (WPB 1336) recovers their small boat while off Maui in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary during Operation Kohola Guardian. Coast Guard members from Station Maui and the Kiska and officers from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources conducted safety and compliance boardings on recreational and commercial vessels to inform the public of the requirements to avoid coming too close to whales or impeding the whales’ path. 
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Sara Mooers (archive photo Feb. 11, 2016).

ULITHI ATOLL, Federated States of Micronesia — At the invitation of the U.S. Embassy in Kolonia, USCGC Kiska (WPB 1336) attended a remembrance ceremony Sept. 23, for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Ulithi from Japanese Forces during WWII.

Along with the USNS Vadm K. R. Wheeler (T-AG 5001), Kiska’s crew anchored in Ulithi Atoll, part of Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia and conducted community outreach, transported supplies from the Ayudah foundation out of Guam, and participated in the remembrance.

The crew of USCGC Kiska (WPB 1336), moored at Ulithi Atoll, part of Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia, prepare to go ashore to deliver supplies from the Ayudah foundation to the community Sept. 22, 2019. The Kiska is a 110-foot Island-class patrol boat homeported out of Apra Harbor, Guam. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo USCGC Kiska/Released.

The U.S. group comprised of U.S. Ambassador Robert Riley, his team, Kiska and U.S. Vadm K. R. Wheeler crews toured Ulithi high school, re-constructed with funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency after Typhoon Maysak ravaged the island in 2015, and ceremonies proceeded at the USAID-constructed outdoor pavilion, with speeches and local dances, songs, and chants performed by residents.

“The ceremony highlighted the importance of Ulithi Atoll during WWII, which at one point served as a major ship refitting station during the island hopping operations of WWII. The locals have a strong appreciation for their history, as well as a great sense of humor,” said Lt. Brenden Kelley, commanding officer, of Kiska. “They say jokes, being able to laugh at a witty turn of phrase is their poetry, and they live it! What an amazing island to visit.”

At the invitation of the U.S. Embassy in Kolonia, USCGC Kiska (WPB 1336) attend a remembrance ceremony Sept. 23, 2019, for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Ulithi from Japanese Forces during WWII. Along with the USNS Vadm K. R. Wheeler (T-AG 5001), Kiska’s crew anchored in Ulithi Atoll, part of Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia and conducted community outreach, transported supplies from the Ayudah foundation out of Guam, and participated in the remembrance. 
U.S. Coast Guard photo USCGC Kiska/Released.

Ambassador Riley addressed the historical importance of the Ulithi effort in WWII, and reminded everyone the liberation was the beginning of “our unique and special relationship, forged decades ago.”

Yap Governor Henry Falan lauded the occasion, noting the positive benefits of the U.S. presence in the region resonated then and remain relevant now. Chief Ramon Payel, chairman of the Council of Tamol, spoke movingly of residents’ reminiscences of the kindness of U.S. Navy personnel, and further personalized his connection to the event by pointing out his father in one of the historic photos bequeathed to the island by the U.S. Embassy for the occasion.

U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy personnel joined the festivities and hosted U.S. and Yap officials for lunch on the U.S. Vadm K. R. Wheeler, contributing to the intercultural exchanges throughout the day.

Part of the crew went ashore via small boat to the main island in the atoll, Faralop Island, the day before the ceremony to play basketball with the Ulithi High School team and see the island.

“The kids came running to the small boat when they saw it near the beach,” Petty Officer 3rd Class Ivan Dorsey, a boatswain’s mate on Kiska. “We brought some candy to share, and they [the children] started bringing us shells they found and asking questions about the boat. They stayed over an hour!”

The crew also played basketball with the local team. It began with Lee, an island local retired from the U.S. Navy, who rang their “basketball bell” an empty high-pressure gas canister, letting everyone know of the upcoming basketball game. The Ulithi team beat the Kiska team in overtime.

“They all play very well together,” said Seaman Jacob Forgette. “And barefoot as well.”

The Kiska is a 110-foot Island-class patrol boat homeported out of Apra Harbor, Guam. The Coast Guard conducts regular operations to strengthen relations with allies and partner nations throughout the Blue Pacific. Kiska was in Yap July 3 alongside the U.S. Navy Coastal Riverine Squadron (CRS) 2 for a port call and to deliver supplies.

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Coast Guard Cutter returns to Boston after offloading over 12,000 pounds of cocaine

The Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC-906) crew underway on the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The cutter Seneca is the sixth of thirteen 270' Famous Class medium endurance cutters in the United States Coast Guard fleet. Home ported in Boston's historic North End, SENECA moors within a short walk of such landmarks as the Old North Church, Faneuil Hall, USS CONSTITUTION, and TD Garden - Home of the Celtics and Bruins.  

CoastGuard Photo.

BOSTON — The​ U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned home to Boston after a 93-day patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Friday, Sept. 27.

Seneca intercepted three drug smuggling vessels transporting cocaine from South America bound for the United States. The interdictions during this patrol resulted in the apprehension of nine suspected narcotics traffickers and more​ than​ 12,000 pounds of cocaine with a street value of nearly $174 million dollars.​

Bales of cocaine lie in the hull of a suspected smuggling vessel intercepted by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean August 17, 2019. The seizure of the contraband was one of three interdictions by the crew during a patrol of drug transit zones off the coast of Central and South America. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

"Counter-drug operations are a vital component to the Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security's mission and our national security," said Cmdr. John Christensen, commanding officer of the cutter Seneca. "I am exceptionally proud of this crew who, over the course of the last three months, rose above the challenges of conducting operations at sea, persevered through many personal sacrifices and showed an unwavering dedication to serving our nation."

Throughout the patrol, Seneca rescued 22 Haitian Migrants, conducted joint exercises with the Honduran Navy, transited the Panama Canal, and spent several months combating illicit narcotics smuggling across the Eastern Pacific Ocean with a deployed armed Coast Guard helicopter team from Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) Jacksonville.

The Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC-906) crew offloaded more than 12,000 pounds of cocaine Sept. 20, 2019 at Coast Guard Sector Miami. The drugs were interdicted in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, including contraband seized and recovered by multiple Coast Guard cutter crews in more than a dozen interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Lally.

These interdictions were in support of Operation Martillo, a regional​ initiative targeting illicit trafficking that threatens security and​ prosperity at the national, regional, and international levels.

Coast Guard Cutter Seneca is a 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter with a crew complement of 100.​ Seneca missions include counter-narcotics, migrant interdiction, search and rescue and living marine resource operations from the Gulf of Maine to the Pacific Ocean.

For more information and video from Seneca's offload, click here.

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Coast Guard Cutter Valiant interdicts self-propelled semi-submersible in the Eastern Pacific

U.S. Coast Guard boarding team members climb aboard a suspected smuggling vessel in September. Crews intercepted a drug-laden, 40-foot self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in the Eastern Pacific carrying approximately 12,000 pounds of cocaine, worth over $165 million and apprehended four suspected drug smugglers. 
U.S. Coast Guard Photo.

JACKSONVILLE— The Coast Guard Cutter Valiant crew intercepted a drug-laden, 40-foot self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in the Eastern Pacific. 

While on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific, Valiant’s crew interdicted a self-propelled semi-submersible in international waters carrying approximately 12,000 pounds of cocaine, worth over $165 million and apprehended four suspected drug smugglers.

The semi-submersible was originally detected and monitored by maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), and the Valiant crew was diverted by Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S) to interdict the semi-submersible, arriving after sunset. The Valiant crew launched two small boats with boarding teams made up of Valiant crew and two members of the Coast Guard Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team, successfully interdicting the semi-submersible in the early morning hours, who subsequently led and conducted a full law enforcement boarding with the assistance of Colombian Naval assets that arrived on scene shortly after.

Members of a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant boarding team transfer narcotics between an interceptor boat and a suspected smuggling vessel in September. Crews intercepted a drug-laden, 40-foot self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in the Eastern Pacific carrying approximately 12,000 pounds of cocaine, worth over $165 million and apprehended four suspected drug smugglers. 
U.S. Coast Guard Photo.

Approximately over 1,100 pounds of cocaine were recovered and offloaded to the Valiant during the operations. The remaining cocaine on the semi-submersible could not be safely extracted due to stability concerns of the vessel. The joint boarding successfully stopped a drug smuggling vessel and also strengthened international relations and communications between the two partner nations.

According to Valiant’s commanding officer, the interdiction coincided with a time-honored mariner’s milestone and tradition of crossing the equator which made both events even more meaningful part of the ship’s patrol.

Bales of cocaine seized from a suspected smuggling vessel lie on the deck of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant in September. Crews intercepted a drug-laden, 40-foot self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in the Eastern Pacific carrying approximately 12,000 pounds of cocaine, worth over $165 million and apprehended four suspected drug smugglers. 
U.S. Coast Guard Photo.

"There are no words to describe the feeling Valiant crew is experiencing right now,” said Cmdr. Matthew Waldron, Valiant’s Commanding Officer. “In a 24-hour period, the crew both crossed the equator and intercepted a drug-laden self-propelled semi-submersible vessel. Each in and of hemselves is momentous events in any cutterman's career. Taken together, however, it is truly emarkably unprecedented This interdiction was an all-hands-on-deck evolution, and each crew member performed above and beyond the call of duty. Additionally, we could not have successfully completed this interdiction without the love and support of our families back home, many of whom evacuated from Jacksonville this week for Hurricane Dorian. To the Valiant families, a heartfelt ‘Thank You!’”

The Valiant is a multi-mission 210-foot Medium-Endurance Cutter commissioned in 1967. Missions include search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, marine environmental protection, homeland security, and national defense operations.

For more information on CGC Valiant, visit http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/cgcValiant

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Coast Guard icebreaker returns home following 129-day Arctic deployment

A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew conducts deck-landing evolutions with Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB-20) boat crewmembers on Southeast Alaskan waters Nov. 24, 2018. In this evolution, pilots practice landing on the cutter while at sea to maintain proficiencies. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Kellen Browne.

SEATTLE – The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy returned home Friday to their homeport in Seattle following a four-month deployment in the Arctic.

In addition to providing presence and access in the Arctic during the 129-day summer deployment, the Healy crew completed three research missions in partnership with the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Office of Naval Research, conducting physical and biological research in the Arctic Ocean.

The crew’s first mission was a NOAA-sponsored project aimed at furthering the understanding of the changing biological picture in the Arctic, along with studying the physical oceanography and offshore ocean currents in both the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The findings from this mission will aid scientists in studying the biological conditions in the Polar region.

The second mission, supported by the Office of Naval Research, is part of a larger, multi-year Arctic study program. This mission focused on studying the effects of water inflow and surface force changes on ocean stratification and sea ice in the Beaufort Sea. In completing this mission, the Healy crew deployed specialized instruments on ice floes and placed subsurface moorings on the seafloor, which will remain in the Arctic until next year.

Healy’s final mission, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, was aimed at understanding the effects of the Pacific and Atlantic water-inflow and the associated boundary current in the Arctic ecosystem. As part of a multi-year endeavor, this study captures measurements from subsurface moorings deployed on the Barrow Canyon Slope as well as data collected from Healy’s onboard scientific equipment.

Under the command of U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Greg Tlapa, the Healy is the nation’s premiere high-latitude research vessel and is the only U.S. military surface vessel that deploys to and is capable of operating in the ice-covered waters of the Arctic. In addition to science operations, Healy is capable of conducting a range of Coast Guard operations such as search and rescue, ship escorts, environmental protection and the enforcement of laws and treaties in the Polar Regions. Healy provides access and presence throughout the Arctic region to protect U.S. maritime borders and to safeguard the maritime economy.

At 420-feet long with a displacement of over 16,000 tons and a permanent crew of 87, Healy is the largest ship in the U.S. Coast Guard. Commissioned in 2000, Healy is one of two active icebreakers in the U.S. fleet; the other is the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, the service’s only heavy icebreaker, homeported in Seattle. Commissioned in 1976, the Polar Star recently departed for a four-month Antarctic deployment to support Operation Deep Freeze 2019.

Operation Deep Freeze is the logistical support provided by the U.S. Armed Forces to the U.S. Antarctic Program. During Operation Deep Freeze the Polar Star carves a navigable path through seasonal and multi-year ice, sometimes as much as 10-feet thick, for supply ships to deliver annual operating supplies and fuel to National Science Foundation research stations in Antarctica.

The Coast Guard has been the sole provider of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965, and is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with six new Polar Security Cutters in order to ensure continued national presence and access to the Polar Regions.

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