A crew member aboard the United States Coast Guard cutter Valiant loads bales of illicit drugs at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 6, 2025. PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS DIANA SHERBS
THE WATCH STAFF
Crews from two United States Coast Guard cutters off-loaded nearly 8,300 kilograms of cocaine and 1,200 kilograms of marijuana worth more than $138 million in early June in Florida. The contraband was from six interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by Coast Guard and interagency partners.
The Coast Guard cutter Valiant’s crew delivered 7,915 kilograms of cocaine and 1,173 kilograms of marijuana to authorities on June 6 at Port Everglades. Crew members from the Coast Guard cutter Vigorous off-loaded about 380 kilograms of cocaine on June 5 at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach.
“I am incredibly proud of our Valiant team and how they exemplify American values. They sacrifice time away from their families and, when necessary, put themselves in harm’s way to secure our borders and protect the American people,” said Cmdr. Matthew Press, commanding officer of Valiant. “Collaborating with the United States Navy, Royal Canadian, and Royal Netherlands Navies, our multinational team disrupted transnational criminal organizations, making the world a safer place.”
The drugs were seized in six separate interdictions. On May 19, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious vessel about 137 kilometers north of Aruba. The Valiant’s crew interdicted the vessel and seized about 1,200 kilograms of cocaine. On May 22, Valiant crew members stopped a suspicious vessel about 274 kilometers north of Aruba and confiscated about 3,515 kilograms of cocaine.
On May 25, a patrol aircraft located another suspicious vessel about 467 kilometers south of the Dominican Republic. The crew of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely and an embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, LEDET 401, interdicted the vessel and took possession of about 380 kilograms of cocaine. The narcotics later were transferred to the Vigorous.
On May 29, a patrol aircraft saw a suspicious vessel about 225 kilometers south of the Dominican Republic. His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) William Hall’s crew and embarked Coast Guard LEDET 103 halted the vessel and seized about 340 kilograms of cocaine. The drugs were transferred to the Valiant.
On May 29, after a patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious vessel about 24 kilometers north of Venezuela, the Royal Netherlands Navy ship Friesland’s crew and embarked Coast Guard LEDET 404 stopped the boat and confiscated about 1,837 kilograms of cocaine and 1,173 kilograms of marijuana. The drugs were transferred to the Valiant.
On May 31, a patrol aircraft saw a suspicious vessel nearly 300 kilometers north of Colombia. HMCS William Hall’s crew and embarked Coast Guard LEDET 103 interdicted the vessel and took possession of about 1,020 kilograms of cocaine, which were transferred later to the Valiant.
Detecting and stopping illegal drug trafficking on the high seas relies on close interagency and international coordination. Also assisting in the operations were Joint Interagency Task Force-South, U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South, U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific, U.S. Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 74 and Coast Guard District 7.
Both the Valiant and the Vigorous are 64-meter medium endurance cutters under U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command. The Valiant is homeported in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Vigorous is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.