U.S. Coast Guard Offloads Over 5,000 Pounds, $99 Million Worth of Illegal Narcotics Interdictedin the Caribbean

By U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast // June 18, 2022

crews seized 5,237 pounds of cocaine

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Thetis’ crew offloaded more than $99 million in illegal narcotics at Base Miami Beach, Friday. Coast Guard and partner agency crews seized approximately 5,237 pounds of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. (U.S. Coast Guard image)

(U.S. COAST GUARD) – U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Thetis’ crew offloaded more than $99 million in illegal narcotics at Base Miami Beach, Friday.

Coast Guard and partner agency crews seized approximately 5,237 pounds of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea.

The drugs were interdicted in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea by crews from:

■ Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley

■ His Netherlands Majesty’s Ship Friesland

■ His Netherlands Majesty’s Ship Groningen

“Interdicting drug traffickers on the open ocean is challenging work and every interdiction is complex and unique,” said Cmdr. Justin Nadolny, commanding officer of Thetis.

“This offload is a testament to the teamwork and devotion of every crew assigned to carry out this mission, and it showcases the strength of the valuable international partnerships united to combat transnational organized crime.”

The fight against drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea requires unity of effort in all phases from detection, monitoring, and interdictions, to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in districts across the nation.

During at-sea interdictions, a suspect vessel is initially detected and monitored by allied, military, or law enforcement personnel coordinated by Joint Interagency Task Force-South based in Key West, Florida.

The law enforcement phase of operations in the Caribbean Sea is conducted under the authority of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami.

The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Thetis, a 270-foot Famous-class medium endurance cutter, is homeported in Key West and patrols the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, performing counter-drug operations, migrant interdiction operations, search and rescue, and fisheries enforcement.