NEW YORK: U.S. federal agents along with the Colombian Navy stopped an alleged drug trafficking ship that they claim had been carrying at least 882 pounds of cocaine valued at $65 million.
The operation was started off by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP) of Air and Marine agents who had been patrolling the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The tracking airplane and spotted a twin engine boat described as Panga-style moving just off the Panamanian and Colombian border, information provided to Breitbart Texas by CBP revealed.
The aircrew called the members of an international task force made up of 15 nations working to stop transnational criminal organizations through Operation Martillo (hammer). The task force officers coordinated with Colombian and Panamanian authorities in order to intercept the load.
As a Colombian Navy ship made its way to the smuggling boats, agents on the aircraft noticed that they had begun to dump the cocaine bricks in an effort to avoid getting caught. Using video of the scene, CBP agents were able to estimate that 882 pounds were thrown overboard.
“As part of Operation Martillo, CBP P-3 (aircraft) crews are actively patrolling the open waters of well known source and transit zone areas with the goal of disrupting narcotics smuggling before it reaches U.S. borders and shores,” said John Wassong, Director of the National Air Security Operations Center in Corpus Christi.
“This disruption illustrates our commitment to employ long range maritime patrols in support of CBP’s extended border concept and to take every opportunity to interrupt transnational criminal activity,” Wassong said.
