SAN DIEGO —
Agencies from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including the Coast
Guard, detected and interdicted a suspected smuggling vessel carrying about
1,400 pounds of marijuana 40 miles southwest of San Diego on July 25, the Coast
Guard 11th District said in a release.

Customs and
Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP AMO) crews notified
watchstanders at San Diego’s Joint Harbor Operations Center (JHOC) of suspected
smuggling activity aboard a 35-foot boat at about 7 p.m. The watchstanders
diverted the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dorado (WPB 87306) that was
conducting a routine counter-smuggling patrol in the area.

Dorado
arrived on scene at about 10:30 p.m. after being vectored in by CBP AMO crews.
The Dorado crew launched their interceptor boat with a boarding team that
discovered the marijuana aboard the suspicious vessel. Two suspected smugglers
were detained.

Dorado’s crew
transported the marijuana and suspected smugglers to San Diego, where CBP’s AMO
crew seized the suspected smuggling vessel and Homeland Security Investigation’s
Marine Task Force took custody of the suspected smugglers and contraband.

“The
crew of Dorado had a very successful mission while patrolling the waters off
the coast of San Diego, and we at the district headquarters could not be
prouder of them,” said Capt. Arthur Snyder, Coast Guard 11th District’s
chief of response.

The Regional
Coordinating Mechanism (ReCoM) is another example of the evolution of joint
operations among interagency partners. Located in San Diego, Los Angeles and
San Francisco, the ReCoM partnerships include the U.S. Coast Guard, CBP’s
Office of Air and Marine, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Border Patrol and
ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations in cooperation with state and local law
enforcement partners operating along the California coast.

Dorado is an
87-foot patrol boat homeported in Crescent City. 

PAGO PAGO,
American Samoa — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) arrived
in the Port of Pago Pago on Aug. 3, completing a nine-day transit from Hawaii
that demonstrated the long-range capabilities of the fast-response cutter.

The crew
is participating in Operation Aiga to conduct fisheries law enforcement and
strengthen partnerships in American Samoa and Samoa throughout August.

“It was a good transit, the longest we’ve conducted yet, nine days at sea, and we’re proving the capabilities of these new cutters to operate over the horizon throughout the remote Pacific,” said Lt. James Provost, commanding officer of Joseph Gerczak. “This is the first time a fast-response cutter has come to Pago Pago. We’re looking forward to hosting our partners and the public during tours [Aug. 5] from 1 to 3 p.m. here at the port.”

The Coast
Guard is positioned to enforce U.S. federal laws and regulations in the
territorial waters of American Samoa. Worldwide, tuna is a $7 billion-dollar
annual industry, and roughly 70 percent of that tuna comes from the western and
central Pacific Ocean. These pelagic fish migrate and it is essential the U.S.
and its partners protect the resource from illegal, unregulated and unreported
fishing. Estimates place the value of IUU fishing around $616 million annually.

“After
this port call, we will be working with NOAA fisheries and the American Samoa
Marine Police to enforce fisheries regulations in the region while on patrol.
Oceania countries adhering to the rule of law deserve and even playing field.
Presence, partnerships, and regular enforcement can deter IUU fishing and
safeguard these critical fish stocks,” Provost said.

The Coast
Guard Cutter Walnut (WLB 205) crew will also be conducting a fisheries mission
with shipriders from Samoa aboard to enforce sovereign laws in their EEZ and
deter IUU fishing. This effort is being undertaken in coordination with
Australia and New Zealand as Samoa transitions their organic patrol assets,
upgrading their fleet. Both cutter crews will also respond to any emergent
search-and-rescue needs in the area and seek out opportunities to work with
partner nation assets.

The Coast
Guard exercises 11 bilateral shiprider agreements with Pacific Island Forum
nations to help ensure regional security and maritime sovereignty.

“The U.S.
is committed to supporting our allies and neighbors in the Pacific, which is
essential to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The Joseph
Gerczak is a 154-foot Sentinel-Class fast-response cutter homeported in
Honolulu. It is one of the newest patrol boats in the fleet. Three fast-response
cutters will be homeported in Honolulu, the third arriving in August. Three
will also be stationed in Guam and are to begin arriving there next year.

MIAMI —
The U.S. Coast Guard interdicted 27 Cuban migrants on July 27 about 5 miles
south of Key West, the Coast Guard’s 7th District said in a release.

A Coast
Guard Station Key West 45-foot response boat crew interdicted an 18-foot
migrant chug with 27 Cuban migrants — 22 males, four females and one child — aboard.
The crew safely embarked all 27 migrants aboard the station boat.

“These
illegal ventures attempting to immigrate to the United States are extremely
dangerous, especially during the hurricane season, when weather and sea
conditions can dramatically and rapidly change in minutes, putting migrants in
danger of being lost at sea,” said Capt. Jason Ryan, chief of the enforcement
branch of the Coast Guard 7th District.

“The Coast
Guard and our partner agencies’ priority is safety of life at sea and these
voyages in ill-equipped vessels aren’t safe. The Coast Guard and our partner
agencies maintain their focused and coordinated efforts to interdict and stop
these unlawful migration attempts into the United States.”

The
watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Key West were notified by a good Samaritan
vessel of a possible migrant vessel. The watchstanders directed the launch of a
Station Key West RB-M boat crew and diverted the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter
Kathleen Moore (WPC-1109) to assist.

The
station crew rendezvoused with the cutter Kathleen Moore and safely transferred
the migrants to the cutter.

A total of
438 Cuban migrants have attempted to illegally enter the U.S. by sea in fiscal
year 2019 compared to 384 Cuban migrants in fiscal year 2018. These numbers
represent the total number of at-sea interdictions, landings and disruptions in
the Florida Straits, the Caribbean and the Atlantic.

MIAMI — The U.S.
Coast Guard interdicted the 37-foot pleasure craft, Bada Bing, with three
Brazilian migrants, one Jamaican migrant and two suspected smugglers on July 30
about 30 miles east of Hollywood, Florida, the Coast Guard 7th District said in
a release.

The Coast
Guard Cutter Paul Clark (WPC-1101) crew located the pleasure craft with six
people aboard during a patrol and safely embarked two Brazilian adult males,
one Brazilian adult female, one Jamaican adult male and two potential
smugglers.

All six
people were transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“People should never
trust these criminal organizations with their lives,” said Petty Officer
1st Class Nicolas Rodriguez, Coast Guard 7th District operations branch.
“Attempting to smuggle yourself into the country via the maritime
environment is both extremely dangerous and illegal. With the consistent danger
these smuggling ventures present, our crews and partner agencies remain
persistently vigilant to protect lives and enforce federal laws.”

ASTORIA, Ore.
— The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-632) returned home July 30
following a 56-day counternarcotic patrol to the eastern Pacific Ocean, the
Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release.

The crew
interdicted five suspected smuggling vessels, including three pangas, a fishing
vessel and a sailboat, and the crew recovered floating bales of contraband
yielding more than 23,000 pounds of cocaine.

The Steadfast
crew offloaded more than 26,000 pounds of seized cocaine in San Diego on July
26, which was a result of the cutter’s five interdictions, bale recovery and an
interdiction case by the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC-1130).

The cocaine,
worth an estimated $350 million, was seized by the crews while the cutters were
patrolling international waters off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South
America from late June to mid-July.

“This was
26,000 pounds of cocaine that will not make it to the main streets of the USA,
and it also gives us the opportunity to make sure we can continue to combat
transnational criminal organizations who transport this cocaine deep in the
Pacific every single day,” said Rear Adm. Peter Gautier, the 11th Coast Guard
District’s commander. “Because we know that with a supply chain of illegal
narcotics, at every single step there’s violence, instability and despair.”

Steadfast’s
seizure of more than 23,000 pounds of cocaine marks the largest amount of
cocaine seized by crews aboard a 210-foot Reliance-class medium-endurance
cutter during a single counternarcotic deployment in Coast Guard history.

Many of the
medium-endurance cutters in service today are more than 50 years old. The Coast
Guard’s medium-endurance cutters represent 70% of the service’s counter-drug
interdiction fleet. These cutters are approaching the end of their service life.
Replacing this aging fleet with the offshore patrol cutter is one of the Coast
Guard’s top priorities. Even though medium-endurance cutters are still highly
effective, as shown by the narcotics interdictions, the ships can be difficult
and expensive to maintain and operate.

As these
cartels become more advanced in their methods at sea, the Coast Guard is
recapitalizing the fleet with modern assets equipped to detect, interdict and
disrupt the growing flow of illegal drugs, weapons and people in the eastern
Pacific.

The offshore patrol cutter will provide a critical capability bridge between national security cutters like the Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL-755), which offloaded 39,000 pounds of cocaine earlier this month, and fast response cutters like the Robert Ward, which seized more than 3,000 pounds of the cocaine offloaded July 26. The Robert Ward’s interdiction was the first cocaine seizure made by a fast response cutter in the Eastern Pacific.

“There are few closer relationships than those among the members of a ship’s crew performing a dangerous, important mission,” said Cmdr. Dan Ursino, the Steadfast’s commanding officer. “Steadfast’s crew has worked as a remarkable, dedicated team with a strong common goal — protecting their nation from the deadly, destructive effects of illegal drugs.”

MIAMI — The Coast Guard interdicted 12 Chinese migrants and two
suspected smugglers on July 23 about 13 miles east
of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a release.

The Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark (WPC-1101) crew located the motor yacht, Carefree, with 14 people aboard during a patrol and safely embarked the 12 Chinese migrants and two potential smugglers. 

The two suspected smugglers were taken into U.S. Department of Homeland Security custody and the 12 migrants were transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations custody.

“The Coast Guard maintains a focused and coordinated effort with multiple agency assets to interdict criminals in any attempt to unlawfully smuggle migrants by sea to the United States,” said Lt. Ray Lopez, chief of enforcement at Coast Guard Sector Miami. “Migrants should not attempt to smuggle themselves into the country. They not only risk going to jail but also endanger their lives by entrusting smugglers to bring them across the water with little or no lifesaving equipment on board.”

SEATTLE — U.S.
Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB-20) departed for a months-long deployment to the
Arctic Ocean on July 22, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release.

The cutter
will support multiple science missions as well as Operation Arctic Shield, the
service’s annual operation to execute Coast Guard missions, enhance maritime
domain awareness, strengthen partnerships and build preparedness, prevention,
and response capabilities across the Arctic domain.

As the nation’s
primary maritime presence in the polar regions, the Coast Guard advances U.S.
national interests through a unique blend of polar operational capability,
regulatory authority, and international leadership across the full spectrum of
maritime governance.

Earlier
this year the Coast Guard released the Arctic Strategic Outlook, reaffirming
the service’s commitment to American leadership in the region through
partnership, unity of effort, and continuous innovation.

“While we
focus our efforts on creating a peaceful and collaborative environment in the
Arctic, we’re also responding to the impacts of increased competition in this
strategically important region,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz said.
“Our continued presence will enable us to reinforce positive opportunities and
mitigate negative consequences today and tomorrow.”

The Coast
Guard has been a leader in the Arctic for over 150 years and the sole provider
of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965. Presently, the Coast
Guard maintains two icebreakers — Healy, a medium icebreaker, and Polar Star,
the only heavy U.S. icebreaker.

While the
Healy deploys annually to the Arctic, the 43-year-old Polar Star is the only
cutter capable of supporting Operation Deep Freeze, the annual mission to
maintain U.S. presence in Antarctica.

If a
catastrophic event, such as a shipboard fire or getting stuck in the ice, were
to strand the Healy in the Arctic or the Polar Star near Antarctica, the Coast
Guard is left without a self-rescue capability.

By
contrast, Russia currently operates more than 40 icebreakers — several of which
are nuclear-powered.

The Coast
Guard is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with six new polar security
cutters (PSC) to ensure continued national presence and access to the polar regions.

“The polar security cutters will support the full range of Coast Guard missions, to include search and rescue, law enforcement, environmental response, and national defense,” said Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, the Coast Guard’s Pacific Area commander. “This investment will enable America to project presence in the polar regions.”

In April, the Coast Guard awarded VT Halter Marine Inc. of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a contract for the design and construction of the Coast Guard’s lead PSC, which will be homeported in Seattle. The contract also includes options for the construction of two additional PSCs.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard
Cutter Richard Dixon (WPC-1113) repatriated 14 Dominican migrants to a
Dominican navy patrol vessel Saturday near Samaná, Dominican Republic,
following the interdiction of an illegal migrant voyage June 11 off the coast
of Añasco, Puerto Rico. 

Two
other Dominican men traveling in the group remain in federal custody facing
possible prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto
Rico on potential charges of attempted illegal re-entry into a U.S. territory.

The
interdiction is the result of ongoing efforts in support of Operation Unified
Resolve, Operation Caribbean Guard and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group
(CBIG). Since October 2018, the Coast Guard and CBIG partner federal and state
agencies have interdicted over 1,550 migrants at sea near Puerto Rico.

Coast
Guard Sector San Juan Command Center watchstanders were contacted on the
morning of June 11 by Puerto Rico Police, who notified that a Joint Forces of
Rapid Action (FURA) marine unit had just interdicted a 20-foot migrant boat
half a mile off the coast of Añasco.

Coast
Guard watchstanders diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez
(WPC-1114) to the scene. Once there, Heriberto Hernandez crew members
safely embarked all 14 men and two women from the makeshift vessel.

“We
commend our Puerto Rico Police partners who prevented this illegal voyage from
making landfall as well as their close collaboration with the Hernandez crew in
safely removing all the migrants from a dangerous situation,” said Lt. Andrew
Russo, commanding officer of Heriberto Hernandez. “These illegal migrant
voyages are very dangerous, often aboard unsafe and unseaworthy vessels, which
present a life-threatening situation to everyone aboard.” 

Once
aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and
basic medical attention.

The
cutter Heriberto Hernandez later transferred the migrants to the cutter Richard
Dixon for their repatriation to the Dominican Republic. The two migrants facing
prosecution are in custody of Ramey Sector Border Patrol agents in Puerto Rico.

The
Heriberto Hernandez and Richard Dixon are 154-foot fast-response cutters
homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

SAN DIEGO
— Vice President Mike Pence attended a U.S. Coast Guard drug offload July 11 in
San Diego, the Coast Guard Pacific Area said in a release.

The crew of
the Coast Guard Cutter Munro offloaded more than 39,000 pounds of cocaine and
933 pounds of marijuana worth a combined $569 million, which was seized in
international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

The drugs
represent 14 separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions and
disruptions off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America by three
Coast Guard cutters between May and July. This was the Munro’s first deployment
to the region.

Pence,
James W. Carroll, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, DEA
acting administrator Uttam Dhillon, and Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, commander of
Coast Guard Pacific Area, spent time aboard Munro and talked to the crew and
media.

“Let me
commend you especially for your new deployment to the Eastern Pacific
corridor,” Pence said. “Even though this is a new area of deployment for this
cutter, you’ve already proven yourselves more than up to the task … 14
operations went into this offload, and one of them was of a self-propelled,
semi-submersible vessel (SPPS), which resulted in the largest Coast Guard
removal in four years. The Coast Guard is seizing illegal drugs at a faster
rate than ever before. And you all have been at the tip of the spear, making
that happen.”

Munro
interdicted the SPPS on June 18, in international waters west of South America.
It was carrying more than 17,000 pounds of cocaine. In fiscal year 2019 to date,
the U.S. Coast Guard has interdicted more than 143 metric tons of cocaine,
worth more than $4.2 billion.

These
drugs are smuggled by international cartels, said Fagan, whose actions “which
left unchecked, fuels violence and instability that corrodes our hemisphere’s
social and economic fabric, and directly contributes to historically high
drug-related deaths in neighborhoods across North America.”

While the
Munro, a national security cutter, was commissioned in 2017, 70% of the Coast
Guard’s offshore presence is the service’s aging fleet of medium-endurance
cutters, many of which are more than 50 years old.

“Our Coast
Guard deserves better,” Pence said. “And that’s why we are committed to fully
funding our Coast Guard, including replacing old ships with new ones, just like
the Cutter Munro.”

ASTORIA,
Ore. — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Elm is scheduled to cross the Columbia River
bar and arrive in Astoria, its new homeport, for the first time on July 15 at
10 a.m., the Coast Guard’s 13th District said in a release.

The
Elm, a Juniper Class 225-foot seagoing buoy tender, is operated by the same
crew that operated the Coast Guard Cutter Fir, which left Astoria in June 2018
as part of a Coast Guard-wide hull swap.

The Elm
is coming out of a midlife, dry-dock, major-overhaul period at the Coast Guard
Yard in Baltimore. The major overhaul began in January 2018. 

The
Elm, commissioned in 1998, was previously homeported in Atlantic Beach, North
Carolina, as part of Sector Field Office Macon. It spent the last 20 years
maintaining more than 250 floating aids to navigation from central New Jersey
to the border of North and South Carolina.

The
Elm’s primary mission will continue to be servicing aids to navigation, but its
new area of responsibility stretches along the Pacific coasts of Oregon and
Washington as well as in the Columbia River. Its area extends from the
Oregon/California border north to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and east in the
Columbia River to Longview, Washington.

The
aids to navigation that its crew will service and maintain are essential to
commercial vessel traffic in shipping ports such as Coos Bay, Newport, Astoria,
Portland, Longview and Seattle.

The
Elm’s crew will be responsible for 114 floating aids. The buoys, which the crew
normally service, range in size from 13 feet tall and 5 feet wide to 35 feet
tall and 9 feet wide and weigh up to 18,000 pounds. The Elm has heavy-lift
capabilities with a crane that can extend to 60 feet and lift up to 40,000
pounds.