A U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement team operating aboard a U.S. Navy vessel has intercepted a suspected drug-smuggling boat near Haiti, seizing an estimated 3,200 pounds of marijuana valued at about $3.8 million.
According to a statement from U.S. Coast Guard Southeast, the operation took place Thursday roughly eight miles off Mole Saint-Nicolas. The boarding team detained one individual during the interdiction.
Authorities said the contraband and the suspect were transferred to Haitian officials on Sunday.
“In close coordination with the Haitian government, the U.S. Coast Guard remains steadfast in our shared mission to safeguard the maritime approaches of the Caribbean,” said Lt. Cmdr. Cory Arsenault, Coast Guard liaison officer for Haiti.
“Together, we are strengthening joint operations to disrupt the illegal flow of narcotics, protect vulnerable communities, and uphold the security and stability of the region.”
The operation involved coordination with multiple U.S. and regional agencies, including Joint Interagency Task Force South and U.S. Southern Command.