Under heavy guard, bales of cocaine totaling nearly 40,000 pounds were unloaded from the armed USGS cutter Sherman. The unloaded haul, with a retail value of $600 million, included 38,000 pounds of cocaine seized by the crew of the Sherman from a Panamanian cargo ship about 20 miles off a Panamanian island on March 17. The largest previous cocaine seizure by the Coast Guard was 30,109 pounds from a state-less vessel in 2004. The haul unloaded Monday also included cocaine from two smaller seizures.
While on a 101-day patrol in the Pacific, an intelligence tip led the crew of the San Diego-based Sherman to the cargo vessel Gatun, which was heading from Panama to Mexico in the Pacific Ocean. The Gatun's 14 crew members, comprised of Panamanians and Mexicans, acted nervously when approached by the Sherman boarding party, but were not armed and offered no resistance. An inspection of the vessel turned up the cocaine bales in two containers among the ship's normal cargo.
The Panamanians were handed over to Panama while the Mexicans were taken into U.S. custody, said Brock Eckel, one of the officers from the Sherman who discovered the illegal drugs. The drugs are to be transferred to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency for eventual incineration.
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Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now