Coast Guard Bust Nets 21 Tons Of Cocaine

DEA: Seizure Off Coast Of Panama Cost Mexican Drug Lords $300 Million

(CBS/AP)  A Coast Guard boarding of a suspicious vessel off the coast of Panama led to a record seizure of cocaine — nearly 43,000 pounds of the drug hidden in two containers onboard the vessel Gatun.

The Gatun was initially spotted by a Coast Guard patrol aircraft about 20 miles southwest of Isla de Coiba, Panama, on Saturday. After obtaining permission from the government of Panama, a Coast Guard boarding team searched the Gatun on Sunday and discovered the drug cache.

Sources say the colossal shipment of cocaine was loaded aboard the vessel in Colombia and heading for Mexico, where a cartel was waiting to funnel the drugs into the United States, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

The 14 crewmembers, Panamanian and Mexican nationals, were arrested and are being transferred to Tampa, Fla., and Panama, where they will be prosecuted.

The seizure is part of an ongoing multi-agency operation known as "Panama Express," according to a Homeland Security official who requested anonymity because the official announcement had not yet been made.

"This record-breaking seizure denied the Mexican drug lords $300 million in drug revenue," said DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy. "This lost drug revenue, combined with last week's unrelated record-breaking $205 million cash seizure by the Government of Mexico working in partnership with DEA, dealt Mexican traffickers a one-two punch: they're down more than half a billion dollars in blood money in just 48 hours."

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, in a statement, commended the government of Panama for its cooperation.

"Because of the combined efforts of these federal and international partners, millions of dollars in illegal drugs did not make their way into our homeland and criminal groups were not able to reap the huge profits," he added.

This latest victory in the war on drugs is good news, adds CBS News national correspondent Byron Pitts, but seizing more than 20 tons of cocaine barely scratches the surface of America's drug problem.

An estimated 20 million Americans still use illegal drugs. Three million of them use cocaine.

Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the Coast Guard, said his agency's "hardworking crews overcame significant challenges in maintaining a 40-year-old deepwater cutter to prosecute this mission far from U.S. shores."

In recent months, the Coast Guard has acknowledged that it has had to contend with design flaws in some of its ships.

The seizure comes at a time the U.S. military has cutback its drug interdiction patrols and surveillance in the Caribbean to concentrate on war efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, adds Orr.

[rickj030455-2009]

Ok lets think about this for a minute...why would powerfull cartels just put the drugs in plain view ? The United States is always gettin
duped by some country and sadly it was the colombians. While we were there they were runnin smaller boats in and out of the usa so much for homeland security...

[bellal-2009]

Well said, Master Mcdzz.

[uscgwife]

Say what you want to about about Bush, but give the Coast Guard some credit. What they did is incredible. Those men and women are brave and honorable and they almost never get recongnition for the great things that they do every day. Go Get'm USCGC Sherman!!!!

[afay3]

I am disgusted with the bias shown by Katie Couric on this drug bust story. She said something to the effect that it's "One for the good guys."

Does she not have any idea how disastrous is the drug war? That this bust will deprive the US market of tons and tons of product? And that this will do nothing but push up the street price? And more users will have to rob innocent people?

Does she not have any clue what happened with Prohibition in the 1920's? And the disaster that policy became?

I am always amazed at the ignorance of our major media "stars."

Art Fay

coastiesrock wrote:

"I am trying to understand why some of you people out there posting have to degrade this important bust for the Coast Guard? You are taking away something that some of them will remember the rest of there lives but you have to degrade it by your comments on the Pres. and other officials.. These men and woman are out there defending you and me.. I say support them. Yes I am proud to be a Coast Guard Supporter..And yes I have a family member on board one of the cutters.. I hope some of you remember that next time you are out drowning or if your boat takes on water who is going to rescue you..The Coast Guard.."

I don't think anyone is degrading the Coast Guard (who do a wonderful job) for stopping 21 tonnes of Cocaine from reaching the streets.

Having said that, GW Bush has used cocaine and the CIA have previously (and quite possibly continue to) been involved in the transportation of cocaine (at the very least).

If you have a problem facing up to the truth, then so be it, but we do have the right to speak up (as do you).

[bildooreilly]

Mystery of 5.5 Ton Coke Flight Deepens
The CIA, 'Cocaine One' & Putting Planes in Suspense
May 2 2006--Venice,FL.
by Daniel Hopsicker

In the two weeks since an American DC9 airliner was busted by Mexican troops at a small airport in the Yucatan, carrying 5.5 tons of cocaine packed neatly into 128 identical black suitcases (somewhat hilariously marked 'private') the search for the true owners of the plane has produced these startling new developments...

The busted DC9, dubbed "Cocaine One" in an earlier story, had an identical twin, a second airliner painted with the same distinctive blue-and-white-with-gold-trim of official U.S. aircraft, the MadCowMorningNews can reveal exclusively, and under the control of the same company. Or Company.


SkyWay Aircraft was the only tangible asset of SkyWay Communications Holding, a firm whose existence served as nothing more than a meager excuse to run a penny stock fraud scam, successfully relieving investors of over $40 million dollars in only three years.

During 2003 and 2004, both DC9's controlled by the firm (N-numbers N900SA & N120NE) boasted an official-looking Seal beside the door bearing the familiar image of an American eagle clutching olive branches and arrows in its talons, around which were emblazoned the words "SKYWAY AIRCRAFT, PROTECTION OF AMERICA'S SKIES."

[coastiesrock]

I am trying to understand why some of you people out there posting have to degrade this important bust for the Coast Guard? You are taking away something that some of them will remember the rest of there lives but you have to degrade it by your comments on the Pres. and other officials.. These men and woman are out there defending you and me.. I say support them. Yes I am proud to be a Coast Guard Supporter..And yes I have a family member on board one of the cutters.. I hope some of you remember that next time you are out drowning or if your boat takes on water who is going to rescue you..The Coast Guard..

21 tonnes of Cocaine?

I bet GW Bush is sitting back right now thinking about his old College days.

[grazinggoat]

gee----we sure hope that wasn't some error and they busted a cia shipment by mistake!

Posted by egresor

-I thought my joke was a good one! yours is blatanlty hilarious.

[egresor]

gee----we sure hope that wasn't some error and they busted a cia shipment by mistake!