US Coast Guard Cutter Offloads 29,000 Pounds of Cocaine in Port Everglades

Tampa's crew with cocaine — Courtesy USCG

On Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Tampa delivered nearly 30,000 pounds of cocaine to a pier in Port Everglades Florida. The crew of the 42-year-old medium endurance cutter captured all of the haul themselves in a series of six interdictions in the Eastern Pacific.

"By honing their maritime skills, standing the watch and working together, they intercepted over $226 million in illicit narcotics. Their resounding teamwork during complex operations is astounding. I commend them on their tremendous tenacity and true camaraderie as they worked through long days and nights to successfully complete difficult cases and continue the disruption of transnational criminal organizations," said Capt. Joshua DiPietro, commanding officer of Tampa, in a statement Wednesday.

The delivery is a capstone for Tampa's successes last month. In just six days in September, Tampa's crew caught four smuggling vessels in back-to-back busts. The first suspect boat was carrying 6,800 pounds of cocaine; four days later, Tampa caught two boats with a combined 15,000 pounds; and the next day, a fourth boat with another 3,400 pounds. It was far from easy, DiPietro said.

"The vessels we saw this patrol were much more powerful than what I’ve seen the rest of my career. Most of them averaged around 1,000 horsepower, three to four high-power outboard engines, 35 feet minimum, 45 feet maximum, and each of them held much larger loads than we’ve seen in the past," DiPietro told Miami's WSVN News.

USCGC Tampa (WMEC-902) was built in 1984 in Tacoma, Washington. The vessel was the first in her class to undergo a deep overhaul, entering drydock in 2005 for a life extension refit to carry her through 2015-2020. From her home port in Portsmouth, Virginia, she still serves along the East Coast and conducts counter-trafficking missions in waters south of the United States.

The WMEC fleet is due for eventual replacement by the future Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), currently being constructed by Austal. The earliest hulls in the class are now more than 60 years old. While awaiting the arrival of the new Offshore Patrol Cutters, the efforts of WMEC crewmembers are essential for maintaining the existing fleet.