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Coast Guard offloads $5.6 million in seized cocaine, transfers custody of 3 suspected smugglers in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Coast Guard offloads $5.6 million in seized cocaine, transfers custody of 3 suspected smugglers in San Juan, Puerto Rico. HC-144 Ocean Sentry.
Archive image: a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft flies near Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
The Ocean Sentry has the capability to perform aerial delivery of search and rescue equipment such as rafts, pumps, and flares, and it can serve as an on-scene commander platform for homeland security missions.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Aux. Michael Dubin.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico​ — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley (WPC-1117) offloaded approximately 150 kilograms of seized cocaine and transferred custody of three suspected smugglers to federal law enforcement authorities, Saturday, at Sector San Juan.

The seized drug shipment is estimated to have a wholesale value of more than $ 5.6 million. The three men apprehended remain in U.S. custody facing criminal charges for drug smuggling.

Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter Donald Horsley from Sector San Juan conducts helicopter hoist training off Puerto Rico with the crew of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod.  Coast Guard crews continuously train throughout the year to sharpen their skills and maintain proficiency when responding to distress calls and conducting rescue operations.
Archive image: Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter Donald Horsley from Sector San Juan conducts helicopter hoist training off Puerto Rico with the crew of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod. Coast Guard crews continuously train throughout the year to sharpen their skills and maintain proficiency when responding to distress calls and conducting rescue operations.
U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The interdiction was the result of ongoing efforts in support of Operation Unified Resolve, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force (CCSF). Prosecution is being led by the United States​ Attorney’s Office, District of Puerto Rico.

COVID-19 has presented us with tremendous operational and personal challenges over these past few months and yet the great women and men of the United States Coast Guard continue to do an outstanding job safeguarding this great nation,” said Lt. Joel Wyman, Cutter Winslow Griesser commanding officer. “I’m proud of my crew for demonstrating this during our most recent counter drug interdiction, resulting in the seizure of 150kgs of cocaine. This goes to show no matter how big the storm is in front of us, we will continue to prevail.”​

Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser.
Archive image: the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser, homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Melissa Leake.

The interdiction and seizure occurred​ during a patrol the night of June 8, 2020, where the crew of a Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft detected a suspect go-fast vessel with three people aboard, approximately 50 nautical miles southwest of Isla Saona, Dominican Republic.​ Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan directed the launch of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft to acquire the location of the go-fast and diverted the cutter Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser carry out the interdiction.

Once on scene, the Winslow Griesser Over the Horizon cutter boat stopped the go-fast and recovered three bales from the water near the go-fast. The recovered bales tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 150kgs.

Cutter Donald Horsley offloads $5.6 million in seized cocaine, transfers custody of 3 suspected smugglers in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A Coast Guard Donald Horsley (WPC-1117) crewmember helps offload approximately 150 kilograms of seized cocaine that were transferred federal law enforcement authorities, who also took custody of three suspected smugglers Saturday, at Sector San Juan. The bust came following the interdiction of a go-fast vessel by the Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser (WPC-1116) June 8, 2020, approximately 50 nautical miles south of Isla Saona, Dominican Republic.
U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The detainees and seized contraband were transferred to the cutter Donald Horsley for transport to Sector San Juan.​ Cutter Donald Horsley’s crew offloaded the contraband and disembarked the suspected smugglers in coordination with​ Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-HSI,​ DEA​ and CCSF special agents in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

​ The CCSF is a multi-agency OCDETF strike force comprised of federal and state law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Coast Guard, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service, and the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety.

USCG Cutter Donald Horsley.
A Coast Guard Cutter Donald Horsley (WPC-1117) crewmember helps offload approximately 150 kilograms of seized cocaine.
U.S. Coast Guard photo.
USCGC Donald Horsley.
Another Coast Cutter Guard Donald Horsley (WPC-1117) crewmember helps offload approximately 150 kilograms of seized cocaine.
U.S. Coast Guard photo.

USCGC Winslow Griesser and Donald Horsley are 154-foot fast response cutters homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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-USCG-

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