The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear interdicted a go-fast vessel carrying 4,355 pounds of cocaine while patrolling the Caribbean Sea Sept. 9.
With help from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, whose Maritime Patrol aircraft first spotted the boat, the Coast Guard team was able to catch up to and board the vessel, where the cocaine was discovered and the 5 people aboard the boat were detained in Caribbean waters between Cuba and Key West, which is about 100 miles north-northeast of Havana, Cuba.
The contraband and detainees were transferred to federal law enforcement officials at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The seized drugs have an estimated value of $58 million.
