The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa capped off Fleet Week Fort Lauderdale on a high note Wednesday, offloading approximately 3,750 pounds of cocaine and marijuana seized during operations in the Caribbean Sea. The drugs, with an estimated street value of US$12.3 million, were offloaded at Port Everglades.
The seized contraband was the result of two separate interdictions carried out by the crew of the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, working in tandem with a Navy helicopter and Coast Guard law enforcement detachments.
“We train diligently and stand ready to execute interdiction missions at a moment’s notice,” said Commander Steven Fresse, commanding officer of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul. “To be able to make an immediate impact so early on during our maiden deployment is a testament to the hard work and skills of the ship’s crew.”
Fleet Week Fort Lauderdale, an annual celebration of maritime services, provided a backdrop for the collaborative success. Commander Walter Krolman, Tampa’s commanding officer, said the event was “a great opportunity for our Coast Guard, Navy and Marine Corps crews to showcase our sea services to communities here in South Florida.”
He added that the offload highlighted the importance of joint operations in protecting American borders. “Today’s offload demonstrates the value of our collaborative joint force operations far out to sea in protecting and defending Americans here at home from threats abroad,” Krolman said.
The Coast Guard noted that detecting and interdicting drug traffickers on the high seas requires significant interagency and international coordination. The Joint Interagency Task Force-South, based in Key West, Florida, is responsible for monitoring maritime and aerial drug trafficking. Once interdiction becomes imminent, operational control shifts to the Coast Guard for arrest and seizure.
All interdictions in the Caribbean are conducted under the jurisdiction of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami.
