The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard took three suspected drug smugglers into custody after attempting to traffic more than 7,850 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific, the U.S. Navy reported Thursday.
The bust was conducted by a Coast Guard detachment on Sunday after being sent to investigate a vessel flagged by a Navy helicopter aircrew after displaying “suspicious behavior,” according to the Navy Press Office. The seized drugs were worth an assessed $58.1 million, per the report.
The Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment discovered three suspected drug smugglers aboard the vessel, all claiming non-U.S. nationality, according to the press office. The three individuals were all taken into custody by the Coast Guard on the USS Sampson.
The Coast Guard vessel—the USS Sampson—was deployed to the region on June 3, departing from Naval Base San Diego to support border security and counter-narcotics efforts, according to a Navy Press Office release.
“The USS Sampson deployed to the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility to support the [Defense Department’s] national security objectives along the U.S. southern border,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson during a weekly statement. “Border security is national security. We are not going to stop until we have 100% operational control of our border.”
The suspected smugglers’ vessel was deemed a “hazard to navigation” and was later sunk, according to the press release.
The past month has seen many steps toward securing the flow of illicit drugs into the U.S., including President Donald Trump’s administration issuing significant sanctions against Mexican banks who allegedly participated in fentanyl trafficking. The administration also announced milestone fentanyl and meth seizures, along with additional sanctions on specific cartels.
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