San Diego-based Navy crew seizes $9M in cocaine


Written by Kristina Davis

12:19 p.m., Aug. 24, 2012

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SAN DIEGO — A San Diego-based Navy crew aided in a $9 million cocaine seizure off South America last week, authorities said Friday.

The guided-missle frigate USS Curts was patrolling international waters about 125 miles west of Columbia on Aug. 14 when a helicopter crew from the ship spotted a suspicious speedboat.

The same 25-foot “go-fast” vessel had been seen earlier by a helicopter crew from the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Morgenthau, which is based in Alameda, Calif.

Once the speedboat was spotted the second time, its passengers began jettisoning bales into the Pacific, officials said.

A Coast Guard marksman fired warning shots, then had to use disabling fire into the fleeing vessel’s engines to stop it, officials said.

The Coast Guard and Navy crews recovered the bales, which totaled 752 pounds of cocaine. A boarding team arrested three suspected smugglers.

Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Teams have seized more than 51,800 pounds of cocaine and 9,300 pounds of marijuana since July 1.

San Diego-based Navy crew seizes $9M in cocaine | UTSanDiego.com