Cocaine worth $24M seized by US Coast Guard in Eastern Caribbean

The US Coast Guard brought in 1,850 pounds of cocaine to Miami, which is said to be worth $24.3 million, on Friday. The haul was captured in the Eastern Caribbean when US Coast Guard vessels intercepted a low-profile go-fast craft which was carrying 30 bales of cocaine.

The go-fast vessel was intercepted 190 miles south of Puerto Rico and was being operated by five individuals, all of whom are suspected smugglers in the eyes of the authorities and have been detained.

The Department of Justice will be responsible for processing their cases and they are expected to face prosecutors in Federal Court.

The Commanding Officer responsible for the operation, Lt. Cmdr. Colin Weaver, stated the following, “Countering drug trafficking organisations that operate throughout the Caribbean depends upon the international and interagency partnerships that JIATF-S and Joint Task Force-East bring to the fight.”

He added that he was very proud of his crew and the excellent work that they had done during the course of this operation. He was also quick to appreciate the support his team received from auxiliary units and the coordinated effort they made to ensure the success of the operation.

The Eastern Caribbean region has long been used by drug traffickers to move cocaine and other illicit substances from Latin America to the United States, which has highlighted it in the eyes of the Drug Enforcement Authority (DEA) and the US Coast Guard.

Having said that, a drug bust of such enormity is of great significance as it has the potential to stifle illicit operations in the region, at least for a short span of time. It also acts as a major financial blow to the operations of the drug cartel which has lost the shipment.

Most importantly, the seizure allows US authorities to potentially close down this another route which is being used to bring illicit substances into the United States, further pressurizing cartels into finding new routes and potentially taking more risks in the pursuit of reaching the American market, as it is the most profitable option available to them.