Crewmembers at U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach are scheduled to offload 2,058 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated wholesale value of $1.9 million, at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, today.
On April 23, during a patrol in the Caribbean, crewmembers aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter detected a go-fast vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dependable launched their small boat crew to pursue the vessel. Upon arriving on scene, the small boat law enforcement team boarded the vessel took four suspected smugglers into custody and discovered 48 bales of what later tested positive for marijuana.
“This seizure highlights the hard work and dedication of our crews in stopping the illegal flow of drugs in the Caribbean,” said Cmdr. Timothy Cronin, deputy chief of enforcement. “This interdiction demonstrates the effectiveness of our commitment to keep illicit drugs off our streets.”
In calendar year 2013, the Coast Guard Seventh District removed $22 million in marijuana and 1.8 billion in cocaine throughout the Caribbean, including Western Caribbean, Central Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean.
The Dependable is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Cape May, New Jersey.
[mappress] Press Release, May 2, 2014; Image: USCG