Loop- The US Navy’s USS Milwaukee together with US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) seized an estimated $22 million in suspected cocaine on January 7 while operating in the Caribbean Sea.
While on patrol, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspected drug smuggling go-fast vessel. Packages were also observed being thrown into the water.
After receiving permission to conduct a boarding, the authorities recovered the packages and five suspected drug traffickers were detained.
An estimated 315 kilograms of suspected cocaine worth an approximated street value of over $22 million was recovered.
“We are very pleased with the effectiveness of everyone’s response and the integration of all parties involved,” said Lt Jordan Lachowsky, the LEDET’s officer in charge.
“We’re looking forward to more opportunities and more successes in the near future.”
USS Milwaukee was deployed on December 14 to the US 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
