COAST GUARD SEIZES 4,000 LBS OF COCAINE

CARIBBEAN SEA – Crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Gallatin, homeported in Charleston, S.C., and their embarked helicopter crew from Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville, seized almost two tons of cocaine Friday and detained four suspected smugglers on board a 40-foot go-fast boat in the Colombian Basin.

A maritime patrol aircraft flying for Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF), based in Key West, Fla., initially located the suspect vessel at approximately 8:20 a.m. The Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami, Fla., was alerted and took tactical control of the cutter Gallatin, which immediately initiated an intercept. Once within range, Gallatin launched its armed MH-68 Sting Ray helicopter from HITRON to stop the vessel.

“The mission went smoothly thanks to the superb coordination between the ship-helo team,” said Capt. Walt Reger, commanding officer of HITRON and currently deployed with the Gallatin.

A Gallatin boarding team was dispatched on its Over-the-Horizon pursuit boat (OTH) to investigate the vessel and crew. After the vessel was determined to be without nationality, the boarding team took control of the go-fast and detained the four suspected smugglers, all claiming Colombian nationality. Once onboard they discovered 60 bales of suspected contraband, later tested to be cocaine.

“It’s rewarding to be part of a successful Coast Guard counter-drug mission that involved seamless coordination and enthusiastic teamwork between the crews of JIATF, Coast Guard District Seven in Miami, HITRON and Gallatin,” said Capt. Mike Parks, Commanding officer of Gallatin.

This is Gallatin’s first operation patrol since they returned home in November from a record effort. On that patrol, Gallatin teamed up with HITRON to stop seven smuggling boats and seized more than 29,000 pounds of cocaine between Oct. 2 and Nov. 13.

So far this Fiscal Year, starting Oct. 1, 2004, the two Charleston-based High Endurance Cutters, Gallatin and her sister Dallas, have partnered with HITRON Jacksonville to stop a remarkable 12 smuggling attempts, involving 57 suspected smugglers, and 50,000 pounds of cocaine worth an import value of $1.6 billion.

This case marks a milestone achievement for HITRON, surpassing 100-tons of cocaine seized since its inception in 1999. HITRON deploys year-round on cutters in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Basin and is specially trained and equipped to safely execute airborne-use-of-force tactics to stop the small, fast and maneuverable go-fast smuggling boats.

The detainees and contraband will be turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents for further investigation and possible prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida

COAST GUARD SEIZES 4,000 LBS OF COCAINECUTTER AND HELICOPTER TEAM PICKS UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF

CARIBBEAN SEA – Crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Gallatin, homeported in Charleston, S.C., and their embarked helicopter crew from Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville, seized almost two tons of cocaine Friday and detained four suspected smugglers on board a 40-foot go-fast boat in the Colombian Basin.

A maritime patrol aircraft flying for Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF), based in Key West, Fla., initially located the suspect vessel at approximately 8:20 a.m. The Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami, Fla., was alerted and took tactical control of the cutter Gallatin, which immediately initiated an intercept. Once within range, Gallatin launched its armed MH-68 Sting Ray helicopter from HITRON to stop the vessel.

“The mission went smoothly thanks to the superb coordination between the ship-helo team,” said Capt. Walt Reger, commanding officer of HITRON and currently deployed with the Gallatin.

A Gallatin boarding team was dispatched on its Over-the-Horizon pursuit boat (OTH) to investigate the vessel and crew. After the vessel was determined to be without nationality, the boarding team took control of the go-fast and detained the four suspected smugglers, all claiming Colombian nationality. Once onboard they discovered 60 bales of suspected contraband, later tested to be cocaine.

“It’s rewarding to be part of a successful Coast Guard counter-drug mission that involved seamless coordination and enthusiastic teamwork between the crews of JIATF, Coast Guard District Seven in Miami, HITRON and Gallatin,” said Capt. Mike Parks, Commanding officer of Gallatin.

This is Gallatin’s first operation patrol since they returned home in November from a record effort. On that patrol, Gallatin teamed up with HITRON to stop seven smuggling boats and seized more than 29,000 pounds of cocaine between Oct. 2 and Nov. 13.

So far this Fiscal Year, starting Oct. 1, 2004, the two Charleston-based High Endurance Cutters, Gallatin and her sister Dallas, have partnered with HITRON Jacksonville to stop a remarkable 12 smuggling attempts, involving 57 suspected smugglers, and 50,000 pounds of cocaine worth an import value of $1.6 billion.

This case marks a milestone achievement for HITRON, surpassing 100-tons of cocaine seized since its inception in 1999. HITRON deploys year-round on cutters in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Basin and is specially trained and equipped to safely execute airborne-use-of-force tactics to stop the small, fast and maneuverable go-fast smuggling boats.

The detainees and contraband will be turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents for further investigation and possible prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida