The U.S. Coast Guard is expected to dock in San Diego with a massive catch of contraband—a whopping 18,219 pounds of cocaine, said to be worth north of $239 million on the street. The stash comes courtesy of high-seas busts in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, spotlighting the ongoing battle against drug cartels and the narcotics pipeline.
This huge pile of drugs, nabbed in six separate interdictions by the crews of Coast Guard Cutters Waesche and Active, was pulled from the briny deep in November, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The busts underline the heavy presence and continuous pressure put on drug traffickers by U.S. forces. The Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, hailing from Alameda, California, was responsible for the lion's share of the haul, seizing 14,350 pounds of the white powder. At the same time, the Active, based in Port Angeles, Washington, snagged 3,869 pounds.
Today's offload at the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal is set to draw Vice Adm. Andrew Tiongson, bigwig of the Pacific Area operations, alongside various other heads of agencies, showcasing the cross-department collaboration involving Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security in the war on drugs. Together, these groups form a united front working to scupper the plans of transnational organized criminals.
