COCAINE SNORTFALL: Cokeheads will be moaning over high prices as a record $1.4 billion in supply is seized by high seas law enforcement armada of US, Canadian & Royal Dutch ships

WILL CARTELS STEAL IT BACK FROM GOVERNMENT WAREHOUSES?

MIAMI — Coast Guard Cutter James’ crew offloaded approximately 59,700 pounds of cocaine and 1,430 pounds of marijuana worth more than $1.4 billion, Thursday, at Port Everglades, which is the largest offload in Coast Guard history.

The Coast Guard’s strong international relationships, with key partners like Canada and the Netherlands, along with our specialized capabilities and unmatched authorities, allow for a unity of effort to disrupt transnational crime organizations, which threaten America and our partner nations.

“Today’s offload is a result of our combined efforts of our inter-agency partners and a dedicated international coalition,” said Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, Commander Atlantic Area. “The Canadian government and Canadian Defence Forces brings an incredible capability in defeating transnational organized crime, and I’m grateful to HMCS Shawinigan to showcase Canada’s commitment. Together we will disrupt, defeat and degrade transnational organized crime. We will strengthen our efforts and continue to build collaboration and capability.”

“Canada and America are committed to expanding cooperation on defending North America against illicit trafficking and transnational crime and working together within our alliances,” said Maj. Gen. Paul Ormsby, Canadian Defence Attache. “We know that no nation can do it alone, and we know that we are stronger together. The kind of cooperation that we see on the pier today is one of the thousands of impressive examples of cooperation every day.”

The drugs were interdicted in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Sea including contraband seized and recovered during 27 interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels by 10 American, Dutch and Canadian ships:

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter MOHAWK. The ship is named for the Algonquin tribe of Iroquoian Indians who lived in the Mohawk Valley of New York. MOHAWK is the third cutter to bear the name. The original MOHAWK (1902-1917), a first class, 205-foot, steel revenue cruiser was built in Richmond, Virginia, and commissioned on May 10^th, 1904. She was used primarily as a training ship. In October of 1917 she was struck by another vessel and sank off Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

The second MOHAWK (1935-1948), a 165-foot, “A” class cutter, was built in Wilmington, Delaware and commissioned on January 19^th, 1935. She served primarily as an escort and ice patrol ship in the north Atlantic. On January 8^th, 1948, MOHAWK was decommissioned and was used as a pilot boat on the Delaware River for more than 30 years. She is located in Key West, Florida.

The third and current MOHAWK is the thirteenth and last of the 270-foot “Famous” class cutters. Built by the former Robert E. Derecktor Shipyards of Rhode Island, MOHAWK was christened on September 9^th, 1989. Since the time of her commissioning in March of 1991, she has served the Coast Guard in a wide variety of missions including Search and Rescue, Maritime Law Enforcement, and Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations. MOHAWK has rescued thousands of Haitian, Cuban, and Dominican Republic migrants and has supported as many as 756 migrants on deck at one time. MOHAWK has also interdicted over 80 drug-laden vessels, detaining hundreds of narcotics smugglers, and denying drug cartels hundreds of millions of dollars in profit from the sale of illicit narcotics. This, as well as MOHAWK’s role in several search and rescue cases and hundreds of boardings to enforce our nation’s laws, has earned MOHAWK numerous Coast Guard Unit Commendations and Joint Service awards. MOHAWK is homeported in Key West, Florida.

• Coast Guard Cutter James
• Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk
• Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless
• Coast Guard Cutter Thetis
• Coast Guard Cutter Confidence 
• USS Wichita
• USS Sioux City
• USS Billings
• HNLMS Holland
• HMCS Shawinigan

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security cooperated 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 drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring, and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by U.S. Attorneys in districts across the nation.

During at-sea interdictions, a suspect vessel is initially detected and monitored by allied, military or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West, Florida. 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, California. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in districts across the nation. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard 11th District, headquartered in Alameda, California, and the law enforcement phase of operations in the Caribbean is conducted under the authority of the Coast Guard 7th District, headquartered in Miami. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard. 

The Coast Guard Cutter James is a 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Charleston, South Carolina. The cutter Mohawk is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Florida.

The cutter Dauntless is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Pensacola, Florida.

The Coast Guard Cutter Thetis is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Florida.

The Coast Guard Cutter Confidence is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Port Canaveral, Florida.

Littoral Combat Ships (LCS)

Littoral combat ships are fast, agile, mission-focused- platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. They are designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines, and fast surface craft. 

The USS Wichita is a 378-foot freedom-class littoral combat ship homeported in Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

The USS Sioux City is a 378-foot Freedom-class littoral combat ship homeported in Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

The USS Billings is a 378-foot Freedom-class littoral combat ship homeported in Naval Station Mayport, Florida. 

The Royal Netherlands Navy HNLMS Holland is a 356-foot Holland-class offshore patrol vessel homeported in Den Helder, Netherlands.

 The HMCS Shawinigan is a 181-foot Kingston-class coastal defense vessel homeported in Halifax, Canada.