U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SEVENTH COAST GUARD DISTRICT

Cutter Dallas returns home after successful counter-drug patrol

Stops 11,310 pounds of illegal drugs in Caribbean

***Media Availability***

    Coast Guard Cutter Dallas is returning home to Charleston, S.C., after stopping 11,310 pounds of pure cocaine  from entering the U.S. following the disruption of three separate smuggling events in the Caribbean during the month of November.

    The first event occured Nov. 3rd when a British maritime patrol aircraft detected and tracked a northbound go-fast vessel. The crew of the Dallas intercepted the go-fast north of Colombia.  The smugglers were forced to jettison their entire load of extra fuel, water and 40 bales of cocaine in order to increase speed enough to outrun the cutter’s deployable fast inflatable boat. The crew of Dallas recovered one 65-pound bale of cocaine and was in the process of searching for more, before they were diverted to the second event.

     The second seizure happened Nov. 4th,  south of the Dominican Republic.  A British maritime aircraft detected and tracked another northbound go-fast. Dallas, along with cutters Vashon and Cushing, both homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico, surrounded the go-fast. The smugglers jettisoned 68 bales of cocaine in an attempt to outrun the cutters and Dallas's small boat and escaped into Venezuelan territorial seas following an all-night-long high speed chase.  Six bales were recovered by the Dallas crew. Cushing picked up another six bales.

     The third event took place once again north of Colombia on Nov 12th.  A go-fast was detected and tracked by a British aircraft. Eventually, surveillance was turned over to a Coast Guard aircraft and then to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aircraft. The Dallas teamed up with the Cutter Diligence, a 210-foot cutter homeported in Wilmington, Va., to intercept the go-fast. The Diligence launched its MH-68 Sting Ray helicopter, deployed from Jacksonville, Fla.,  and Dallas took tactical control of the aircraft. Once on scene, the Sting Ray's aircrew observed the go-fast crew throwing 66 bales into the water, which later tested positive for cocaine. 

     Unable to stop the go-fast by using radio calls, signals and warning shots, the Sting Ray aircrew used disabling gunfire to render one of the go-fast's three outboard engines inoperable.  The four smugglers stopped and were detained by Dallas crewmembers.  All 66 bales of cocaine weighing more than 4,000 pounds were recovered. The go-fast was towed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where it, along with one sample bale of cocaine to be used for evidence, and the four suspected smugglers were turned over to ICE agents.  The remaining 65 bales of cocaine were turned over to ICE, DEA and FBI agents in Key West, Fla., for prosecution as part of Operation Panama Express.

     In total, Dallas prevented 174 bales of cocaine, each bale weighing approximately 65 pounds, for an aggregate total of 11,310 pounds of pure cocaine from entering the United States.

    Dallas returned from a four and a half month deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom earlier this summer.

     EDITOR'S NOTE: Media are invited to view the arrival of Dallas at Pier Papa at the old Charleston Navy Base near the Border Patrol Complex.  A short ceremony will be conducted after Dallas moors to attach three new cocaine stickers to the side of the ship, one for each event.  Interviews with the commanding officer of the Dallas and the boarding officers from the drug busts will be available. Interested media are asked to arrive at the base no later than 11:15 am.

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