Pot Seized

Photo by PO3 Pamela Manns

Approximately one ton of marijuana was seized by the US Coast Guard in international waters off the coast of Mexico on 15 October 2010 after the crew of an HC-130 patrol aircraft and cutter disrupted an apparent smuggling operation. The HC-130 crew, based at CGAS Sacramento, California, sighted a suspicious vessel, approximately forty miles from San Diego. The cutter USCGC Edisto (WPB-1313) was diverted to intercept the vessel, and Mexican authorities were notified. The cutter crew did not intercept the speedboat, but as it headed toward the craft, the speedboat's crew was observed throwing bales into the water. The Coast Guard recovered the bales from the water, which later tested positive as marijuana.