The US Coast Guard Cutter Stratton returned to its homeport of Coast Guard Island in Alameda, California, after a 114-day Joint Interagency Task Force South counter drug patrol, Wednesday, to reunite with family members and loved ones.
While in San Diego, Stratton conducted one of the largest known cocaine offloads in Coast Guard history, with an estimated worth of more than $1.01 billion. The drugs were seized in 23 separate interdictions by U.S. Coast Guard cutters and U.S. Navy vessels with embarked Coast Guard Law enforcement teams in known drug smuggling transit zones. The commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Paul Zukunft, attended to commemorate the historic event.
Coast Guard Cutter Stratton is a 418 foot National Security Cutter and is the third of eight planned National Security Cutters which are capable of extended, worldwide deployment in support of homeland security and defense missions.
Posted on August 13, 2015 with tags Alameda, americas, California, Naval, Navy, News by topic, USCG Cutter Stratton.