Coast Guard officials offloaded more than 27,000 pounds of cocaine Friday on their base in Miami Beach after the bust. The cocaine shipments, which were headed to the U.S. from Mexico, Central America, and South America, were seized from 12 different vessels by six separate Coast Guard units throughout the Caribbean in an operation that started in January.
"They all teamed together to catch this in bulk form," U.S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Daniel Abel told WSVN Miami on Friday.
"For each metric ton, it’s estimated that that metric ton could kill 11 Americans," Abel added. "That metric ton could send a thousand to an emergency room with an overdose. That metric ton could start 11,000 American citizens on an addiction."
Coast Guard officials are pleased with the result of the cutters, saying that every kilogram of the drug seized in the sea means less grams of cocaine on the streets.
"It’s definitely an experience when that alarm goes off at 3 in the morning and you’re gone for the next 12 to 14 hours, during that boarding and seizing the contraband, bringing the members back on board," Boarding Officer Michael Black said.