Coast Guard unloads an estimated 76,140 pounds of illegal narcotics in Port Everglades

The Coast Guard unloaded some 76,140 pounds of narcotics at Port Everglades on Monday, valued at $473 million, marking the largest amount of drugs unloaded in its history.

According to the reports from United States Coast Guard News, the crew of the Cutter Hamilton unloaded approximately 61,740 pounds of cocaine and approximately 14,400 pounds of marijuana.

Authorities, for their part, assured that the large quantity of drugs seized represents a hard blow against transnational criminal organizations.

"The U.S. Coast Guard, in collaboration with our federal Department of Defense and international partners, is offloading 61,740 pounds of cocaine, representing a significant victory in the fight against transnational criminal organizations, highlighting our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation from illicit trafficking and its devastating effects," said Rear Admiral Adam Chamie, commandant of the Coast Guard's Southeast District.

Likewise, the official confirmed that this dumping of illegal narcotics prevented approximately 23 million potential lethal doses from reaching the United States.

"To put this in perspective, the potential 23 million lethal doses of cocaine seized by the U.S. Coast Guard and our partners is enough to fatally overdose the entire population of the state of Florida, underscoring the immense threat transnational drug trafficking poses to our nation," Chamie added.

80% of narcotics intercepted at sea

The Coast Guard assures that detecting and interdicting illicit drug traffickers at sea involves significant inter-institutional and international coordination, since 80% of drugs are intercepted at sea.

To protect the national territory from the trafficking of illicit narcotics from South America to the United States, the Coast Guard is accelerating its counterdrug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of the Operation Pacific Viper.

"Eighty percent of illicit drug seizures occur at sea. The U.S. Coast Guard is stepping up maritime interdictions in the Eastern Pacific to stop cartels and criminal organizations, cutting off drug and human trafficking before it reaches U.S. shores," Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem said on X last week.