Coast Guard seizes nearly $150 million worth of cocaine

 (Gray News) - The U.S. seized more than $143 million worth of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The Coast Guard said a helicopter crew from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alert spotted a suspicious vessel during its two-month counter-narcotics patrol in the region.

The suspect boat — outfitted with high-performance outboard engines — didn’t respond to the crews’ calls to stop.

The cutter launched both of its small-boat pursuit teams, and the helicopter disabled the engines as the suspected smugglers’ vessel threw bales of cocaine into the water.

As one pursuit crew took control of the vessel, the crew of the other boat “worked tirelessly through the night to haul in and account for” the drugs, totaling 11,000 pounds.

“The crew worked in the margins, and we won big in the margins,” said Cmdr. Lee Crusius, commanding officer Coast Guard Cutter Alert. “The return on investment from the Coast Guard to the American people continues to be demonstrated by our ability to project capabilities and rule of law within the maritime domain. Day in and day out, the women and men of our service are doing important business, protecting vital international interests from those who wish to subvert order.”

The patrol is scheduled to be the Cutter Alert’s last patrol out of its current homeport of Astoria, Oregon.

By Gray News staff

www.wtoc.com