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9,200 Lbs. Of Cocaine Seized At Sea

Coast Guard Makes 4 Drug Busts

POSTED: Thursday, November 5, 2009
UPDATED: 1:23 pm EST November 5,2009

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter confiscated 9,200 pounds of cocaine during four separate incidents during the month of October.

According to the Coast Guard, the Cutter Valiant crew seized 191 bales of cocaine worth about $127 million. Officials said the drugs were headed for the U.S., Local 10's Jonathan Vigliotti reported.

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The first bust happened on Oct. 10, officials said, when the cutter's crew recovered 1,900 pounds of cocaine off the coast of Panama. Ten days later, officials said, suspected drug smugglers jettisoned 100 pounds of cocaine off the coast of Colombia.

On Oct. 25, crewmembers of the Valiant detained several suspects off the coast of Panama and recovered 3,500 pounds of cocaine. Finally, on Oct. 29, the cutter detained several suspects who were found on a go-fast boat carrying 3,700 pounds of cocaine off the coast of Nicaragua, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard performs similar missions throughout the year with the help of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Coast Guard officials said the recent seizures could signal an upswing in drug distribution.

"I know the crew is tremendously proud of the four seizures and have expressed a strong sense of accomplishment in knowing that they were directly responsible for keeping 5 tons of illegal narcotics -- in this case cocaine valued at over $100 million -- off of our streets," said Luis Diaz of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The Valiant brought the drugs back to South Florida Thursday to transfer to law enforcement agencies.

Officials said the detained suspects have been transferred to federal agents.
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