Editor's note: See related U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seneca interdicts suspected drug smuggling vessel in the Pacific Ocean
MIAMI – Coast Guard Cutter Seneca’s crew offloaded more than 12,750 pounds of cocaine and marijuana with an approximate street value of $94.5 million in Port Everglades, Tuesday.
Seneca was deployed in support of Operation Pacific Viper. Coast Guard crews worked alongside interagency partners to interdict illicit narcotics in the international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Through Operation Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard is accelerating counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, where significant transport of illicit narcotics continues from Central and South America. In coordination with international and interagency partners, the Coast Guard is surging additional assets—cutters, aircraft and tactical teams—to interdict, seize and disrupt transshipments of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs. Operation Pacific Viper continues the Coast Guard’s efforts to protect the Homeland, counter narco-terrorism, disrupt foreign terrorist organizations, transnational criminal organizations and cartels seeking to produce and traffic illicit drugs into the United States. Since launching this operation in early August, the Coast Guard interdicted over 80,000 pounds of cocaine.
“I’m incredibly proud of the teamwork and adaptability displayed by my crew and our partners during this patrol to stop illicit drug flow from entering the United States,” said Capt. Lee Jones, commander, Coast Guard Cutter Seneca. “Our crews sacrifice time away from their families, and when necessary, put themselves in harm’s way to secure our borders and protect the American people.”
The following assets and crews were involved in the interdictions:
29 suspected smugglers were transferred to federal custody.
Detecting and interdicting narco-terrorism on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Southwest District, headquartered in Alameda, California.
The Coast Guard is the United States’ lead federal maritime law enforcement agency with authority to enforce national and international laws on the high seas and waters within U.S. jurisdiction. 80 percent of all U.S.-bound narcotics seizures occur at sea, underscoring the impact of Coast Guard maritime interdiction efforts.
Coast Guard Cutter Seneca is a 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutter with a crew of 100 homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia.
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