U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloaded approximately 18.5 tons (16,856 kilograms) of cocaine in Florida, on May 18.
The wholesale value of the seized cocaine is estimated at around $498 million and is the result of a number of interdictions made by Canadian and U.S. ships along Central and South America.
Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Saskatoon, sailing with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment (LEDET) team aboard, was responsible for one, 454-kilogram cocaine while other seizures were made by U.S. Coast Guard cutters.
“The 18.5 tons of seized cocaine coming off our decks today is the product of partnerships and the collaboration of U.S. Southern Command, Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, State and Justice, the Canadian Navy and many of our international maritime service partners,” said Capt. Scott Clendenin , commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton.