The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless crew offloaded more than $243 million in illegal drugs at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach earlier this month.
The U.S. Southern Command website reports Dauntless’ crew seized approximately 8,500 pounds of cocaine.
After a 45-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea, the crew apprehended 13 suspected drug smugglers with Dominican Republic and Colombian nationalities.
Crew members of the Dauntless worked with Coast Guard assets and international assets, including the HNLMS FRIESLAND of the Royal Netherlands Navy, to stop the drug smuggling.
Dauntless is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter of the Reliance class.
Among its missions are drug interdiction, search-and-rescue, and fisheries enforcement in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean.