The U.S. Coast Guard has notified Senate Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Senator Susan Collins that on June 26th, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma, which is based in Maine, boarded a Honduran-flagged ship off the coast of Jamaica and seized an estimated 10,000 pounds of cocaine. Seven Hondurans were captured and turned over to U.S. drug enforcement agents. According to the Coast Guard, the seizure marked the largest of three operations by the Coast Guard and British Navy in the Caribbean at the end of June that netted 13,000 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $227 million.
Senator Collins released this statement:
“I am proud of the Maine-based Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma crew for its exemplary performance and involvement in this massive seizure of illegal drugs. Because of the outstanding performance of the Coast Guard, these dangerous drugs will be kept off our streets and those involved in smuggling of illegal drugs will not find safe haven in the U.S. or elsewhere.
“I have always appreciated the relationship between the Coast Guard and Maine’s coastal communities. I commend all the Coast Guard does to keep Maine and our nation safe.”