The US Coast Guard has seized $63 million (£45 million) worth of cocaine after a dramatic shootout on the Caribbean Sea, during which the suspected smugglers' boat was sunk. The incident occurred on Tuesday approximately 25 miles north of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, when the US Coast Guard cutter Resolute, patrolling with the Dutch navy ship Groningen, identified a vessel suspected of carrying narcotics in international waters.
According to a press release from the US Coast Guard's south-east region, the crew of a joint forces fast interception craft fired on the suspected smugglers when the non-compliant vessel turned at speed towards them. The boat caught fire and sank, with three people onboard going overboard. The US and Dutch sailors acted in self-defence, the statement said.
On Friday, authorities called off the search for the three missing individuals. The Resolute docked at Port Everglades, Florida, on Thursday, unloading more than 4,800lb (2,177kg) of cocaine valued at approximately $63m. No injuries were reported among the joint law enforcement operation.
Lt Cmdr John Beal, public affairs officer for US Coast Guard district seven, said: 'Our crews work hard to safely bring suspected smugglers to face federal prosecution in the US for alleged crimes. The missions our coast guard service members and allied partners do every day to deny transnational criminal organizations access to maritime smuggling routes are inherently dangerous.'
In a separate incident, the crew of the cutter Charles David Jr offloaded 540lb (245kg) of cocaine in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Friday, and transferred nine suspected smugglers to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. The cocaine, worth $7.4m, was seized after the cutter Heriberto Hernández located a suspect vessel south of St Croix. Nine men arrested claimed to be Venezuelan nationals.
