By USNAVSOUTH/4TH FLEET – Public Affairs
CARIBBEAN SEA – Minneapolis-Saint Paul, with an embarked US Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 50, Detachment Three, made the two busts in the Caribbean, taking out vessels through a combination of air and surface operations.
The busts resulted in the confiscation of 580 kilograms (1,278.9 lbs; $9,463,860) of cocaine and 2,480 pounds of marijuana. ($2,807,360).
“The USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul executed their duties seamlessly in the combined effort to protect the homeland from illicit maritime trafficking.” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of US Naval Forces Southern Command/US 4th Fleet. “Working in coordination with the Coast Guard and our joint partners, we look forward to seeing continued measurable impact delivered by the professional and talented crew of the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul across the region.”
“We train diligently and stand ready to execute interdiction missions at moment’s notice, said Minneapolis-Saint Paul commanding officer Cmdr. Steven Fresse, “To be able to make an immediate impact so early on during our maiden deployment is a testament to the hard work and skills of the ship’s crew.”
USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul is currently assigned to Commander, Task Force 45 (CTF 45). CTF-45 is the 4th Fleet surface task force charged with executing combined naval operations, building and strengthening Latin American, south of Mexico, and Caribbean maritime partnerships, and acting as a DoD-ready service provider to Joint Interagency Task Force – South in support of counter illicit-drug trafficking operations in the Central and South American waters.
The US Coast Guard is simultaneously a military service and the United States’ lead federal maritime law enforcement agency with authority to enforce national and international laws on the high seas and waters within US jurisdiction.
Coast Guard LEDETs regularly deploy aboard US Navy and foreign allied navy ships, and during these deployments the LEDETs, under US law, board vessels, seize illegal drugs and apprehend suspects. These forces also work closely with other regional partner nation coast guards and naval forces to provide support to visit, board, search and seizure operations within partner nation territorial waters. Once an interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the US Coast Guard for the interdiction and apprehension phases. Interdictions in the Caribbean Sea are performed by members of the US Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami.
US Naval Forces Southern Command/US 4th Fleet supports US Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region.
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