The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded more than 28,500 pounds of cocaine, worth approximately $211.3 million, Thursday at Port Everglades, authorities confirmed.
Cocaine Seized After Four Successful Interdictions
According to the Coast Guard, the massive drug seizure followed four separate interdiction operations in the Eastern Pacific.
Details of the Interdictions
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May 3: A maritime patrol aircraft spotted two suspicious vessels 170 miles west of Mexico. The operation led to the seizure of 4,630 pounds of cocaine, with 4,608 pounds handed over to Ecuadorian authorities for prosecution.
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May 5: Crews recovered 9,993 pounds of cocaine from a bale field located 475 miles southwest of Colima, Mexico.
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May 6: An embarked helicopter team observed vessels dumping bales into the sea. That led to the recovery of 14,559 pounds of cocaine from three bale fields about 575 miles southwest of Acapulco.
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May 10: Teams retrieved an additional 3,984 pounds from another bale field, located 660 miles south of Acapulco.
“These operations align with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces’ Strike Force initiatives, targeting high-level criminal organizations,” said the Coast Guard.
