WILLEMSTAD – The United States Coast Guard has carried out another major anti-drug operation in waters near Colombia, intercepting three speedboats carrying approximately 6,000 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $45.8 million.
According to U.S. authorities, the operation involved the cutter USCGC Tahoma and its onboard helicopter.
Officials stated that the suspects ignored warning shots fired by the Coast Guard. In response, the crew used disabling fire to stop the vessels and prevent their escape.
The operation resulted in the arrest of nine suspected drug traffickers. Authorities also seized the cocaine shipment and neutralized the three speedboats, which were later sunk because they posed a danger to navigation.
The latest interception highlights the continuing intensity of anti-narcotics operations in both the Caribbean and Pacific regions, which remain major transit corridors for cocaine trafficking from South America toward North America and Europe.
International maritime forces, including the U.S. Coast Guard and regional partners, continue to increase patrols and interdiction efforts as traffickers rely heavily on fast-moving vessels to transport narcotics through Caribbean waters.
