Diálogo Américas
The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Donald Horsley (WPC-1117) offloaded approximately 150 kilograms of seized cocaine and transferred custody of three suspected smugglers to federal law enforcement authorities on June 13.
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.
“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 U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant 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 150 kg of cocaine. This goes to show no matter how big the storm is in front of us, we will continue to prevail.”
The interdiction and seizure occurred during a patrol the night of June 8, 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 personnel 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 Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser to carry out the interdiction.
Once on scene, the Winslow Griesser’s Over the Horizon cutter boat stopped the go-fast and recovered three bales from the water near the go-fast vessel. The recovered bales tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 150 kg.
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