SAN DIEGO — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) offloaded approximately 33,768 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of $468 million, on Tuesday in San Diego.
The offload is a result of eight separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions or events off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America by the Coast Guard Cutter Munro in February and March.
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USCGC Munro – 1,790 kg (3,946 lbs) cocaine (Feb. 21, 2024)
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USCGC Munro – 1,725 kg (3,803 lbs) cocaine (Feb. 24, 2024)
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USCGC Munro – 1,410 kg (3,108 lbs) cocaine (Feb. 26, 2024)
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USCGC Munro – 2,136 kg (4,709 lbs) cocaine (March 10, 2024)
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USCGC Munro – 3,562 kg (7, 852 lbs) cocaine (March 17, 2024)
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USCGC Munro – 1,289 kg (2,841 lbs) cocaine (March 18, 2024)
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USCGC Munro – 1, 289 kg (2,841 lbs) cocaine (March 18, 2024)
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USCGC Munro – 2,170 kg (4,784 lbs) cocaine (March 23, 2024)
“The crew put in an incredible amount of work over very long hours, and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” said Capt. Rula Deisher, commanding officer, Coast Guard Cutter Munro. “Their dedication and grit goes to show that Munro is one of the best national security cutters in the fleet, and we are committed to keeping the country safe by stopping illegal drugs before they hit the street. There isn’t a better crew to serve with and I’m honored to have spent my final patrol with them.”
Multiple U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security, collaborate in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with allied and international partner agencies, all play a role in counter-narcotic operations. The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean requires unity of effort in all phases, from detection and monitoring to interdictions and criminal prosecutions.
“I am extremely proud of this crew and their dedication to disrupting organized crime in the Eastern Pacific,” said Rear Admiral Andrew Sugimoto, commander, Coast Guard District 11. “The effort put in while interdicting more than 33,000 lbs of cocaine in a few weeks’ time is unparalleled. We will continue our commitment to stopping these criminals and the vast amounts of drugs they attempt to bring into our country.”
The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean requires unity of effort in all phases, from detection, monitoring and interdictions to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in districts across the nation. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is conducted under the authority of the Eleventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda, Calif. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are led and conducted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard.
These interdictions relate to Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) designated investigations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Coast Guard Cutter Munro is the sixth Legend Class National Security Cutter, and is homeported in Alameda, Calif.
Common deployments include the entire Pacific Rim with port calls that may include San Diego, Kodiak, and Honolulu. Foreign destinations include countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, Japan and all of the Pacific Island Nations.
The Coast Guard Cutter Munro’s crew can operate in the most demanding open ocean environments, including the hazardous fisheries of the North Pacific and the vast approaches of the Southern Pacific, where significant narcotics trafficking occurs.
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