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Coast Guard Delivers Confiscated Cocaine Valued At $468 Million To San Diego Port

COSTA RICA-CRIME-DRUGS-SEIZURE

Image not from story (Photo by EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP via Getty Images)

Mariane Angela Entertainment And News Reporter
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The U.S. Coast Guard delivered nearly 34,000 pounds of cocaine at the San Diego port Tuesday, New York Post reported.

The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded about 34,000 pounds of confiscated cocaine, valued at about $468 million, at a San Diego port. The drugs were seized by the Coast Guard Cutter Munro during eight operations in international waters off Mexico and South America from Feb. 21 to March 23, according to the New York Post. Cutter Capt. Rula Deisher praised the crew’s efforts and pointed out their dedication and the cutter’s role in national security.

“The crew put in an incredible amount of work over very long hours, and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” Deisher said in a statement, the outlet reported. “Their dedication and grit goes to show that Munro is one of the best national security cutters in the fleet, and we are committed to keeping the country safe by stopping illegal drugs before they hit the street.”

The largest single capture occurred on March 23, when the crew intercepted a drug runner and seized over 4,700 pounds of cocaine, New York Post reported. Coast Guard cutters routinely intercept illegal drug shipments near the US coast and deliver them to various American ports, where federal agencies take over. (RELATED: Footage Shows Drug Smugglers Allegedly Testing Remote-Controlled Submarine, Police Say)

In October, the Coast Guard captured 33,200 pounds of cocaine and 12,400 pounds of marijuana, worth nearly $450 million, and delivered it to Port Everglades, New York Post reported. This week’s shipment was highlighted as particularly significant.

“The effort put in while interdicting more than 33,000 lbs of cocaine in a few weeks time is unparalleled,” Coast Guard District 11 Rear Admiral Andrew Sugimoto said, according to the New York Post. “We will continue our commitment to stopping these criminals and the vast amounts of drugs they attempt to bring into our country.”