The U.S. Coast Guard made a massive drug bust this month, offloading 28,000 pounds of cocaine worth $211.3 million at Port Everglades on Thursday. The haul was the result of four major interdictions in the Eastern Pacific, led by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Thetis and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter team.
The seizures took place on May 3, 5, 6, and 10. On May 3, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted two suspicious vessels 170 miles off Mexico, leading to the capture of 4,630 pounds of cocaine. Two days later, the Thetis crew seized nearly 10,000 pounds from a bale field 475 miles southwest of Colima, Mexico.
The largest bust came on May 6, when air and sea crews recovered 14,559 pounds of cocaine from three bale fields 575 miles off Acapulco. On May 10, another 3,984 pounds of cocaine were recovered from a bale field 660 miles south of Acapulco.
The Coast Guard transferred 4,608 pounds of cocaine from the May 3 case to Ecuador for prosecution, while the rest was offloaded at Port Everglades.
Cmdr. Ryan Kelley, commanding officer of the Thetis, praised his team’s efforts. “I could not be more proud of this crew and what they accomplished this patrol. Every kilogram of these drugs kept off our streets represents lives saved,” Kelley said.
Kelley also highlighted the dedication of his crew, saying their success proves the team’s ability to “improvise, adapt, and overcome” despite working with an aging cutter. The 33,000 pounds of drugs seized by the Thetis during this patrol demonstrates the Coast Guard’s relentless fight against the drug trade and its commitment to keeping America safe.
