U.S.recovers $180 million in cocaine from sunken submarine
Mon, Aug 1, 2011
В MIAMI BEACH, FL AUGUST 02: U.S.Coast Guard crew members from the Cutter Oak offload some of the 15,000 pounds of cocaine worth more than $180 million on August 2, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida.The cocaine was seized from a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in the western Caribbean Sea on July 13.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) MIAMI (Reuters) U.S.authorities have recovered nearly 15,000 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $180 million from a sunken submarine-like vessel used by smugglers off the coast of Honduras,В the Coast GuardВ said on Monday.The crew of the Boston-based Coast Guard Cutter Seneca intercepted a self-propelledВ semi-submersibleВ vessel off the Caribbean coast of Honduras on July 13.
Authorities detained the vessel’s crew and recovered some drugs before the boat sank, theВ Coast GuardВ said.
SeveralВ Coast Guard cutters, the Honduran Navy and FBI dive teams then used side-sonar equipment to search for the sunken submarine-like vessel, which was located on July 26.
They spent about three days recovering the rest of the drugs, in what the Coast Guard described as the first underwater drug removal from such a vessel.
«This is a once-in-a-career thing that happens,» saidВ Lieutenant Commander Peter Niles,В commanding officerВ of theВ Coast Guard CutterВ Oak, whose crew located the sunken vessel.
The case is under investigation, and the contraband will be turned over to other U.S.law enforcement agencies, the Coast Guard said.
A U.S coast guard vessel intercepts a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in the Caribbean coast of Honduras August 1, 2011.U.S.authorities have recovered nearly 15,000 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $180 million from a sunken submarine-like vessel used by smugglers off the coast of Honduras, the Coast Guard said on Monday.Honduras is used by Mexican and Colombian cartels to traffic drugs to the United States.Mexican drug gangs have been moving into Central America since Mexico’s government launched an army-led drive to crush them 4 1/2 years ago.REUTERS/Stringer (HONDURAS Tags: MILITARY POLITICS)
Semi-submersible vessels typically are built in Colombian jungles and are less than 100 feet in length, according to the Coast Guard.They carry up to 10 metric tons of drugs for distances up to 5,000 miles and are designed to sink rapidly to make it difficult for law enforcement to recover the cargo.
Honduras is used by Mexican and Colombian cartels to traffic drugs to the United States.Mexican drug gangs have been moving into Central America since Mexico’s government launched an army-led drive to crush them 4 1/2 years ago.
«Our mission out here in the Caribbean is to keep drugs from crossing our borders and making our communities (back) home safer,» said Commander Charles Fosse, commanding officer of the Seneca.«It’s very satisfying for the crew.»
(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)
MIAMI BEACH, FL AUGUST 02: A U.S.Coast Guard crew member provides security as others from the Cutter Oak offload 15,000 pounds of cocaine worth more than $180 million on August 2, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida.The cocaine was seized from a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in the western Caribbean Sea on July 13.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FL AUGUST 02: A U.S.Coast Guard crew member checks on some of the 15,000 pounds of cocaine they had offloaded from the Cutter Oak on August 2, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida.The cocaine worth more than $180 million was seized from a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in the western Caribbean Sea on July 13.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
MIAMI BEACH, FL AUGUST 02: U.S.Coast Guard crew members from the Cutter Oak offload some of the 15,000 pounds of cocaine worth more than $180 million on August 2, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida.The cocaine was seized from a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in the western Caribbean Sea on July 13.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
An armed crew member from the U.S.Coast Guard Cutter Oak keeps a watchful eye as they unload 15,000 pounds (6,804 kg) of cocaine worth more than $180 million at Base Support Unit Miami August 2, 2011.The haul was recovered from a self propelled submersible vessel in the western Caribbean Sea July 13, 2010 after being spotted by U.S.Coast Guard patrol.REUTERS/Hans Deryk (UNITED STATES Tags: SOCIETY CRIME LAW)
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