MIAMI, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard’s Southeastern Command says it has made history with its largest drug seizure ever.
On Monday, crews unloaded more than 76,000 pounds of cocaine and marijuana in Port Everglades.
That’s worth about $473 million and, according to officials, equals nearly 23 million deadly doses kept off U.S. streets.
Most of the haul, 61,740 pounds of cocaine, came from a series of busts in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
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Crews also seized more than 14,000 pounds of marijuana.
“This is a huge win against the cartels,” Rear Admiral Adam Chamie said. “To put it in perspective, this is enough cocaine to fatally overdose the entire population of Florida.”
The drugs came from 19 interdictions at sea, where Coast Guard cutters, U.S. Navy ships, and international partners worked together to stop fast-moving smuggling boats.
Captain John B. McWhite, commanding officer of the Hamilton, said his team alone took down 11 boats, detained 34 suspected traffickers, and seized 47,000 pounds of cocaine.
Officials say the bust is a reminder of how much coordination it takes to fight drug trafficking before it hits U.S. shores.
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