SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, (CMC) – The United States Coast Guard offloaded 901 pounds of cocaine worth US$10.2 million in Puerto Rico, following the interdiction of a smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea.

The US Coast Guard said the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier and Caribbean Corridor Strike Force were responsible for the seizure.

Meanwhile, three men apprehended during the seizure and who are Dominican Republic nationals, are facing US federal prosecution in the District Court of Puerto Rico. They are facing charges of conspiracy to “possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.”

The Transnational Organized Crime Division of the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico is leading the prosecution for this case, while special agents supporting the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force are leading the investigation, the US Coast Guard said.

It said that, during a patrol, the aircrew of a Coast Guard maritime patrol aircraft detected a suspect go-fast vessel north of Puerto Rico.

“Coast Guard watch standers at Sector San Juan diverted the cutter Joseph Napier that arrived on scene in pursuit and stopped the 30-foot blue and white go-fast vessel, apprehended three men and recovered 12 bales of suspected contraband that tested positive for cocaine,” the US Coast Guard said.

“I’m extremely proud of our crew, especially the pursuit team, for their tactical proficiency and resiliency in stopping this drug-smuggling vessel from entering Puerto Rico,” said Lieutenant DeVonte Weems, Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier commanding officer. “It was a great team effort with seamless coordination between Coast Guard surface, aerial, and shoreside units that resulted in a successful interdiction.

The interdiction is the result of multi-agency efforts involving the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), the Caribbean Border Interagency Group and the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force.