US Coast Guard Cutter Seizes $1 Billion in Drugs

The U.S Coast Guard reports one of its cutters, the James, has offloaded $1.06 billion in illegal drugs seized during a 90-day patrol of the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

In a press release, the Coast Guard said the ship’s crew set records during its three-month patrol for the largest single cocaine interdiction worth $206.4 million, and the largest single marijuana interdiction worth $3.59 million, which is the greatest amount of contraband interdicted during an eastern Pacific patrol.

The drugs were offloaded at Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday.

The Coast Guard said several U.S. government agencies cooperated in the effort to seize the drugs and crack down on international drug trafficking by cartels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean. Those agencies include the U.S. departments of defense, justice and homeland security.

The release did not say if any charges were filed in connection with the seizures.

The Associated Press reports the head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Rahul Gupta, who greeted the ship as it came to port, said U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is seeking to increase the U.S. government’s budget to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids like fentanyl and other drugs, as well as boost the nation’s drug addiction treatment facilities.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.

Indigenous guard seized a plane in Cauca - Other Cities - Colombia

The Indigenous Guard of Caldono, north of Cauca, seized a plane which was allegedly illegally transported inside a truck.

The events occurred around 7 pm last Tuesday in the vicinity of the village of Granadillo, Resguardo de Pioyá.

In addition to the truck, a 4×4 truck-type vehicle was also detained.

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According to indigenous authorities, inside the truck-type vehicle was found a light sports-type white aircraft, without wings, which, according to initial information, came from the department of Valle del Cauca. and intended to be transferred to the Resguardo Indígena de Mosoco, municipality of Páezeast of that department.

It was also known that the wings were transported in the other vehicle.

As the legality of the aircraft was not clear, the elements remained in the custody of the indigenous guard.

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“We were able to identify that the aircraft had three annotations, among them, the suspension by the National Police, Antinarcotics Directorate and did not have a registration certificate no insurance policy,” said the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca (Cric), through a statement.

The native authorities added that war and quartermaster material was also found.

Three men and one woman were in the vehicles, who, like the vehicles, remained at the disposal of the traditional authorities of Caldono.

Indigenous communities have continually carried out territorial controls in that area, due to repeated threats and frequent attacks carried out by armed groups.

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The investigation remained under the Special Indigenous Jurisdiction.

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US Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Cruise Ship Passenger

The U.S. Coast Guard in New Orleans says it discontinued the search for a woman who reportedly jumped from a cruise ship into the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday.

In statement late Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans said rescue crews searched a large area for 14 hours before halting the operation.

The statement said the search began after the office received a call Wednesday reporting a 32-year-old woman on the Carnival Valor cruise ship had gone overboard about 240 kilometers off the coast of southern U.S. state of Louisiana.

The Coast Guard said it dispatched rescue crews and that an airplane continued searches Thursday.

According to a New Orleans television station, passengers said the missing woman had been involved in an altercation that required ship security to be called. Video taken at the scene and obtained by the station show the woman being led away by security from the ship’s pool area shortly before she apparently jumped.

Witnesses said she jumped from approximately 10 stories above the water and that a life preserver had been thrown to her.

Video and pictures posted on social media showed a life preserver floating in the water behind the ship.

A spokesman for the south Florida-based cruise line said it initiated search and rescue procedures before the vessel arrived at its home port of New Orleans Thursday morning, concluding a five-day cruise. The spokesman said the cruise line is providing support to the guest’s husband, who was traveling with her, as well as her family.

Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press

US Coast Guard Searches Gulf of Mexico for Cruise Ship Passenger

U.S. Coast Guard and Carnival Cruise Line officials said Thursday a search is underway for a cruise ship passenger who reportedly jumped from her balcony into the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday and is still missing.

In a statement, U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans said it received a call Wednesday reporting a 32-year-old woman on the Carnival Valor cruise ship had gone overboard about 240 kilometers off the coast of Louisiana, a southern U.S. state.

The Coast Guard said it dispatched rescue crews and that an airplane continued searches Thursday.

According to a New Orleans television station, passengers said the missing woman had been involved in an altercation that required ship security to be called. Witnesses said she jumped from approximately 10 stories above the water and that a life preserver had been thrown to her.

Video and pictures posted on social media showed a life preserver floating in the water behind the ship.

A spokesman for the south Florida-based cruise line said it initiated search and rescue procedures before arriving at its home port of New Orleans Thursday morning, concluding a five-day cruise.

Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press.