ATLANTIC WATCH — In a sweeping maritime security operation, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard forces intercepted and seized a combined 3,750 pounds of cocaine and marijuana from traffickers navigating Caribbean waters, disrupting what officials estimate as a US$12.3 million shipment en route to American shores.
The bust, executed through two coordinated interdictions, featured joint efforts between the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, an embarked Navy helicopter team, and Coast Guard law enforcement detachments. The seized narcotics were offloaded at Port Everglades by the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Tampa.
“This is operational readiness in action,” said Commander Steven Fresse of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul. “Interdictions like these underscore the precision and discipline our teams bring to maritime security—right from the outset of our maiden voyage.”
Commander Walter Krolman of the Tampa highlighted the broader strategic significance of the mission: “Beyond the drugs seized, this offload represents the strength of integrated force projection across U.S. services in defending against transnational threats.”
The operation forms part of an ongoing multinational effort overseen by the Joint Interagency Task Force-South, headquartered in Key West, Florida. Once suspicious activity is detected, the Coast Guard assumes jurisdiction to carry out interdictions and apprehensions under the authority of the Seventh District Command in Miami.
Officials say the success of such missions is rooted in high-level coordination between agencies, allied partners, and advanced maritime surveillance systems. The interdictions come amid a growing emphasis on protecting U.S. borders through forward-operating capabilities deep within narcotics transit zones.
