USS Pinckney Takes Down Drug Vessel, Seizes Over $28 Million of Cocaine

EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) — The Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) with embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) team seized more than 3,000 pounds of cocaine May 14, the U.S. 4h Fleet/U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command said in a May 21 release.

A U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft assigned to the “Tridents” of Patrol Squadron 26 first spotted the low-profile vessel (LPV). Pinckney, with its embarked helicopters assigned to the “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 75 and the embarked LEDET, moved into position to intercept the LPV.

Pinckney and the embarked LEDET recovered a total of 70 bales of cocaine totaling an estimated 1,400 kilograms, worth over $28 million wholesale value.

“This was truly a team effort,” said Cmdr. Andrew Roy, USS Pinckney commanding officer. “The air support we received was first class. We were able to safely and successfully conduct this operation due to the outstanding professionalism of the Navy – Coast Guard team.”

USS Pinckney is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations conducting U.S Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South’s enhanced counter drug operations missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

On April 1, U.S. Southern Command began enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs in support of Presidential National Security Objectives.

Numerous U.S. agencies from the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security cooperated in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with allied and international partner agencies, play a role in counter-drug operations.