In a coordinated effort involving the Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other agencies, authorities in San Juan, Puerto Rico, seized 245 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated wholesale value of $7.4 million. The contraband and nine suspected smugglers were transferred to DEA custody at Coast Guard Base San Juan on Friday.
The interdiction operation, part of the Coast Guard’s Western Hemisphere Strategy and Operation Unified Resolve, was executed in the early morning hours of June 3, 2023.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernández spotted a suspicious vessel about 75 nautical miles south of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. As the cutter approached, the occupants of the vessel were observed discarding multiple packages overboard.
The Coast Guard successfully intercepted the suspect vessel, detaining nine individuals who identified themselves as Venezuelan nationals. They also recovered several packages from the water, confirming the presence of cocaine.
The detainees and seized contraband were transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Charles David Jr., which transported them to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for further processing and investigation.
Lt. Cmdr. Edward Kunigonis, Sector San Juan’s chief of enforcement, emphasized the collaborative effort involved in the operation, thanking all personnel, units, and partner agencies for their contributions.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Denise Foster echoed this sentiment, praising the combined efforts of federal, local, and regional partners in combating drug trafficking in the Caribbean. The DEA will lead the investigation to ensure those responsible for the smuggling operation are brought to justice.
The operation is part of ongoing efforts under Operation Unified Resolve and Operation Caribbean Guard, which aim to deter, detect, and disrupt illicit maritime trafficking to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Caribbean Corridor Strike Force, an initiative of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, works to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations operating in the region.
Comprised of various agencies, including HSI, FBI, and CBP, the strike force investigates drug trafficking organizations using the Caribbean as a transshipment point for narcotics destined for the United States.
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