More than four tons of cocaine has been intercepted on ships smuggling narcotics in the Caribbean during a 45-day sting operation led by the US Coast Guard, officials said. The 8,500 pounds of cocaine, with a value of $245 million, was offloaded from a Coast Guard vessel at a Florida port following a series of interdictions, the U.S. Coast Guard said Saturday. At least 13 suspected drug smugglers from Colombia and the Dominican Republic were arrested in 11 incidents involving the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Dauntless and the HNLMS Friedland of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Coast Guard was unable to say where the cocaine was being smuggled to and from after it offloaded the drugs at a Miami port. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless offloaded $245 million worth of cocaine Friday in MiamiThe 54,500 pounds of cocaine and 15,800 pounds of marijuana offloaded February 17 followed months of interdictions of drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Source: Daily Mail April 05, 2022 04:01 UTC