The crew of the Cutter Hamiltonbelonging to the United States Coast Guardunloaded on Monday, December 2, a shipment of more than seven tons of cocaine valued at approximately 182.8 million dollars. The narcotics were confiscated during a maritime operation that spanned more than three months in the Eastern Pacific Oceanaccording to the authorities.
The operation, carried out off the coast of South America y Central Americais part of the efforts of the Coast Guard to combat the drug trafficking in the region. During the deployment, which lasted three and a half months, there was collaboration from inter-institutional and international partners, demonstrating the global nature of the fight against transnational organized crime.
“I am proud of our crew’s accomplishments during this deployment,” said Captain Justin Cartercommanding officer of Hamilton. “The professionalism, skill and commitment of all those involved were fundamental to carrying out this challenging and critical mission at sea,” reads a statement on the official website of the US Coast Guard.
As a result of this operation, six alleged drug traffickers They were captured and taken to federal custody. The detainees now face charges that will be prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice.
The narcotics interdiction occurred within the framework of the joint operational zone of the US Southern Commandwhich covers both the Caribbean like him Eastern Pacific. This area is known as a strategic corridor for transnational criminal organizations who try to traffic drugs to North America.
He Hamiltona cutter National security 128 meters in length, it has a crew of approximately 150 personas. The ship is designed to perform multiple missions, including drug interdictionthe migrant interdictionthe national defense and operations of search and rescue. Equipped with advanced sensor, electronics and weapons systems, the Hamilton It is a crucial tool to meet the objectives of national security in international waters.
In addition to its regular crew, the Cutter Hamilton had the support of Coast Guard Tactical Helicopter Interdiction Squadron (HITRON). This specialized squadron is known for its ability to conduct air force operations against non-compliant vessels, a skill that has been key in interdiction since its creation in 1999.
The operation was coordinated in conjunction with the Southern Interinstitutional Task Force (JIATF-S), based in Key West, Florida. This unit oversees the detection and monitoring of air and sea traffic of illegal drugs in the region. When suspicious vessels are detected, the Coast Guard assumes the law enforcement phase, leading the interdictions and arrests.
Coordination also involved Eleventh Coast Guard Districtbased on Alameda, California. This district has jurisdiction over operations in the Eastern Pacific and plays a fundamental role in the fight against drug trafficking on the high seas.
He Hamilton It is one of the four cutters of National security based on Charleston, South Carolina. These ships are strategic assets for long-range missions that support national and international objectives. Its ability to deploy globally and operate in a variety of environments makes it an essential component of the Coast Guard.
The crew of the Hamilton not only performs tasks related to drug traffickingbut also participates in operations of search and rescue, national defense, intelligence and enforcement of fishing laws. The ship is equipped with chase boats, advanced electronic systems and aircraft, allowing missions to be executed almost anywhere in the world.
He Tactical Helicopter Interdiction Squadron (HITRON) is a specialized unit of the Coast Guard with a distinguished record in operations against drug trafficking. Since its creation in 1999, it has worked closely with ships of the Coast Guardthe United States Navy and international allies.
HITRON uses armed helicopters to intercept suspicious vessels trying to evade authority. These operations have been essential to guarantee the security in the jurisdictional waters of USA and on the high seas.
He Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean They are key routes used by drug cartels to transport cocaine and other illicit substances from South America toward North America. The operations of interdiction like this they seek to interrupt those routes and dismantle the logistics networks of the criminal organizations.
According to authorities, the drugs confiscated during this operation represent a significant portion of the shipments that these networks try to introduce into USA. The cocaine seized, whose street value amounts to almost 183 million dollarsnot only prevents criminal organizations profit, but also reduces the supply of dangerous drugs in vulnerable communities.
