Law Enforcement Boarding News

The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) returned home Friday to Astoria after a 60-day counternarcotic patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.While patrolling international waters off the coast of Mexico and Central America, Steadfast’s law enforcement boarding teams intercepted and stopped eight separate vessels suspected of smuggling illicit drugs. The eight boardings resulted in the discovery and seizure of approximately 13,123 pounds of cocaine worth…

The crew aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC-623) returned home Friday to Astoria after a 60-day counternarcotic patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. While patrolling international waters off the coast of Mexico and Central America, Steadfast’s law enforcement boarding teams intercepted and stopped eight separate vessels suspected of smuggling illicit drugs. The eight boardings resulted in the discovery and seizure of approximately 13,123 pounds of cocaine worth more than $200 million wholesale. The 210-foot cutter deployed to the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of the Joint Interagency Task Force South with the primary mission of detecting and interdicting illegal drug traffickers.

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark is scheduled to offload approximately 4,100 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated wholesale value of $3.7 million at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Wednesday. While on a routine patrol, a Joint Interagency Task Force South maritime patrol aircraft detected a suspicious go-fast vessel south of Jamaica. The crew aboard the aircraft notified the crew of the Paul Clark and vectored the cutter to intercept and conduct a law enforcement boarding of the suspect vessel. Once aboard the go-fast vessel, the Coast Guard boarding team removed 103 bales of contraband that later tested positive for marijuana.

A Coast Guard cutter Anacapa boarding team terminated the voyage of a fishing vessel for unserviceable safety equipment Monday. The fishing vessel Alaska Rose was in the vicinity of Coronation Island, about 50 miles north west of Craig, when a Coast Guard boarding team conducted a safety and law enforcement boarding. The boarding team members discovered that the vessel’s life raft and the hydrostatic release on the emergency position indicating radio beacon contained expired inspection tags. The Anacapa then escorted the vessel into Craig where it will remain until a serviceable life raft has been placed on board. Whenever a vessel's voyage is terminated, the vessel’s movements are restricted until the owner is able to correct all of the discrepancies.

A Coast Guard boarding team cited the master of a commercial fishing vessel with safety violations Tuesday off the coast of Atlantic City, resulting in the termination of the vessel's voyage and restriction to A law enforcement boarding team from the Coast Guard Cutter Ibis boarded the 70-foot commercial fishing vessel Lady Kimberly, fishing for summer flounder, about 63 miles east of Atlantic City. In the course of the boarding, the team found that the vessel lacked a general emergency alarm, a Coast Guard-approved flare and any sound-producing device. These are federally-mandated safety regulations that the Coast Guard routinely checks for when they conduct safety boardings.

A Coast Guard cutter Maple boarding team terminated a fishing vessel’s voyage due to unserviceable safety equipment Thursday. The fishing vessel Duna, a 36-foot vessel from Seldovia, was in the vicinity of Yakutat when a Coast Guard boarding team conducted a safety and law enforcement boarding. The boarding team members discovered that the vessel’s life raft had expired inspection tags. The Maple then escorted the vessel to Yakutat where it will remain until a serviceable life raft is placed on board. Whenever a vessel's voyage is terminated, the vessel’s movements are restricted until the owner is able to correct all of the discrepancies.

Coast Guard investigators, a law enforcement boarding team, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service are investigating the cruise ship, Holiday, after three separate breaches of security occurred Monday during the passenger embarkation process. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port New Orleans, Capt. Ron Branch, has ordered the Holiday to remain at the Julia Street Terminal until all passengers and luggage are screened again. Approximately 3 p.m. Monday, Coast Guard personnel aboard Holiday received a report from a passenger, also a policeman, that he left his handgun in his luggage. After locating and searching the luggage, the weapon, a .38-caliber handgun, was found and placed in a secure location. About an hour later, Holiday crewmembers discovered four bullets on a passageway floor.