DATE: February 13, 2009 1:01:15 PM PST
Coast Guard Foils Attempt to Smuggle Drugs
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Public Affairs Detachment
San Diego, Calif.
U.S. Coast Guard |
| News Release |
Date: Feb. 13, 2009
Contact: PADET San Diego, CA
(619) 278-7023, phone
(619) 247-2478, mobile
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Coast Guard Foils Attempt to Smuggle Drugs
SAN DIEGO – Approximately 1,780 pounds of marijuana has been seized by the U.S. Coast Guard in international waters off the coast of Baja California after a patrol aircraft and cutter disrupted an apparent smuggling operation, Feb. 12, 2009.
Late Tuesday a Coast Guard C-130 patrol aircraft, based in Sacramento, Calif., sighted a suspicious vessel, about 160 miles from San Diego, headed north . A Coast Guard patrol boat was diverted to intercept the vessel, and Mexican authorities were notified.
The cutter did not intercept the speedboat, but as it headed toward the craft, the speedboat's crew was observed throwing bales into the water. The Coast Guard recovered the bales from the water, which later tested positive as marijuana.
The vessel fled into Mexican territorial waters and Mexican authorities later intercepted the boat.
The U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies routinely patrol known drug trafficking routes off the coast of Baja California in cooperation with Mexican authorities. This seizure of marijuana is the fourth such case since November for a total of 9,183 pounds with an estimated wholesale value of more than 11 million dollars.
Follow the link for video of the smuggling vessel:
http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=469543
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