A Coast Guard crew from Astoria made an incredible find during a 50-day counterdrug patrol.
While patrolling international waters off the Mexico and Central America coasts in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, they seized 12,000 pounds of cocaine. It carries an estimated street value of over $180 million.
They discovered the cocaine after stopping and searching five vessels the suspected were involved in drug smuggling.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and dedication of my crew, and the men and women of the interagency aircrews and support networks ashore,” said Cmdr. Alain Balmaceda, the crew’s commanding officer. “Knowing we stopped tons of drugs from reaching America’s shores and the streets of our allied nations in Central and South America made this deployment over the holidays even more rewarding.”
