Coast Guard releases images after crew seizes $91 million in drugs at sea
A U.S. Coast Guard crew completed a two-month anti-drug trafficking operation this week that resulted in huge narcotics seizures and the arrests of dozens of suspected smugglers at sea, the agency said.
The Coast Guard cutter Campbell returned to its port on Monday in Newport, Rhode Island, after a patrol mission through the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean that lasted 63 days. The crew's primary goal was to intercept illegal drug activities in known trafficking zones, a mission that ultimately led them to seize roughly 8,061 pounds of cocaine, the Coast Guard said.
Those drugs have an estimated street value of about $91 million, according to the agency. Images released by the Coast Guard show packages of seized cocaine stacked on board the cutter in a large pile.
Crew members also arrested and detained 49 suspected drug smugglers allegedly involved in illegal trafficking on the high seas. The Coast Guard said 26 suspects were eventually turned over to U.S. authorities in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the end of January, when the Campbell cutter offloaded the seized drug hauls at Port Everglades.
The suspects will now be prosecuted federally by the Department of Justice, according to the Coast Guard.
"I am incredibly proud of Campbell's crew," said Cmdr. Jonathan Harris, the commanding officer of the ship, in a statement. "We overcame many obstacles to stand vigilant watches away from our loved ones during the holiday season and worked tirelessly to prevent transnational criminal organizations from harming our communities by seizing tons of narcotics that will no longer cross our maritime borders. More importantly, we contributed to the cycle of justice by ensuring dozens of suspected drug traffickers will stand trial in the United States."
Campbell's crew was deployed to support the military's Joint Interagency Task Force, a coordinated effort between multiple U.S. agencies and other nations to address illicit drug trafficking in certain areas. The Coast Guard said the organization aims to "dismantle transnational criminal organizations while reducing the flow of drugs to the public."
In addition to carrying out its main mission, the crew of the Campbell also provided care to two survivors of a search and rescue operation during their time in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, the Coast Guard said. The agency did not share details about the rescue.
Details on Chinese retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products set to take effect next week
Concern DOGE could stop Social Security, Medicare payments
Hubble Telescope captures cosmic collision from 50 million years ago
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Black America Web
14 hours ago
- Black America Web
The Unrest In California Proves Trump's Always Wanted To War
Source: The Washington Post / Getty 'If it's a lie then we fight on that lie…but we gotta fight,' —Slim Charles, The Wire. It's all been a lie. The frightening story of immigrants killing and raping Americans. The fear-mongering that immigrants are taking American jobs. The horror stories of an open border and hordes of people coming across in the middle of the night. All of it has been a lie. And yet, none of it has stopped this administration from waging a full-out war on Latinos and people of color. Currently, the military-obsessed president has turned peaceful protests into a standoff between those who don't believe people should be arrested at graduation ceremonies and court hearings against the American soldiers. As it stands, some 2,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines have been sent to California to quell mostly non-violent demonstrations against Trump's authoritarian push to 'Make America white again.' And all of it is based on lies. Lies that began under Trump's first presidency, when he claimed that illegal immigration was so bad that he wanted to build a wall and Mexico was going to pay for it. Despite that entire campaign falling flat on its face, the alarmism and fear tactics of the scary illegal stealing your job, woman, and Toyota Camry persisted. So much so that once Trump got back in office, he began a war on immigrants using his henchmen at ICE to round up people of color, whether they'd actually committed a crime or not, and have them incarcerated and deported. And all of this was built on lies. But here's the truth: Illegal immigrants make up only 3.5% of the total U.S. population, which is around 11 million people. Clearly that number is impossible to know exactly, '…the estimate essentially comes from taking the foreign-born population from census records, then subtracting the number of legal immigrants.' Around 8.1 million of these undocumented immigrants are working or looking for work, and despite using fake social security cards to secure employment, those workers who are not paid in cash pay taxes on the money they earn. 'In 2010, they contributed an estimated $10.6 billion in state and local taxes, and $13 billion in Social Security,' The Week reports. 'Contrary to common perception, illegal immigrants don't qualify for public benefits like welfare, food stamps, and Medicaid, as these programs require proof of legal immigration status.' This means that they pay into a system and receive nothing in return. Two-thirds of undocumented immigrants have been in the U.S. for 10 or more years, and some 60% of that population lives in six states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. And because Trump has waged war on immigration, the federal government spends more money trying to round up and deport those taxpayers than they do on the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Marshals Service combined. Source: David McNew / Getty All of this is based on the myth that immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants, commit crimes at an alarming rate. However, studies have found that while immigration has increased over the years, crime rates have decreased. 'The American Immigration Council compared crime data to demographic data from 1980 to 2022, the most recent data available. The data showed that as the immigrant share of the population grew, the crime rate declined,' a study done by the American Immigration Council found. 'In 1980, immigrants made up 6.2% of the U.S. population, and the total crime rate was 5,900 crimes per 100,000 people. By 2022, the share of immigrants had more than doubled, to 13.9%, while the total crime rate had dropped by 60.4%, to 2,335 crimes per 100,000 people. Specifically, the violent crime rate fell by 34.5% and the property crime rate fell by 63.3%,' it reads. But this is personal, it always has been. Trump and his administration has labeled Venezuelans 'rapists,' 'savages,' 'monsters' and 'the worst of the worst.' This fear-mongering led to the arrest of some 238 Venezuelans who were sent to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. An investigation by the Texas Tribune and ProPublica found that not only had many of those deported not been convicted or even accused of crimes, but the Trump administration knew this and deported them anyway. Source: Kevin Carter / Getty Because this was never about the truth. This was always about a little man with freakishly small hands and a giant ego who was never taken seriously, in business or in politics. This has always been about the joke of a president wanting desperately to be seen as a man. It's why he's been hellbent on releasing the military. He was going to deploy a militaristic show of force because that's what bullies do. Whether it was his nonsensical, wildly-expensive showcase of army vehicles during his birthday, or the deployment of troops on peaceful protesters, the president is so far from being an emperor that someone might want to tell him. This was never about immigration; this has always been about a cartoonish heel needing an opponent, and unfortunately for America, the boy impersonating a president has set his sights on anybody in the immigrant community. And even though it's all based on lies, he's still going to ride on that. SEE ALSO The Unrest In California Proves Trump's Always Wanted To War was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Army deletes video of DC parade tanks with 'Hang Fauci & Bill Gates' graffiti
A now-deleted Army video of tanks being loaded onto a train to Washington, D.C., to appear in the massive June 14 military parade for the Army's 250th anniversary showed a graffitied message spray-painted on the side of the train car – "Hang Fauci & Bill Gates." The video, posted to the Army's X account on Saturday, has since disappeared. It showed an M1A2 Abrams – a 70-ton battle tank – rolling onto a train car at Fort Cavazos in Texas. The death threat to Fauci and Gates – two people who have drawn the ire of President Donald Trump's MAGA base – was painted on a train car marked DODX, property of the Defense Department. Steve Warren, an Army spokesperson, said the Army has no plans to investigate. "We removed the post once notified of graffiti on the train that didn't align with Army values," he said. "We are excited to celebrate 250 years of service to the nation next week." Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the government's response to COVID during Trump's first term, and Bill Gates, the billionaire Microsoft founder, are frequent targets of criticism from Republicans and Trump's supporters. Fauci has said he received a deluge of death threats and harassment since he became a magnet for right-wing outrage as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during the Pandemic, making him the public face of many pandemic social distancing policies and the COVID vaccine. Republicans have accused him of funding the Chinese government to create the virus and conservative firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said he "belongs in prison." "I still think deep down that there's a possibility that somebody's going to kill me," Fauci told USA TODAY in a 2024 interview. Former President Joe Biden issued a preemptive pardon for Fauci before he left office, anticipating that Trump would seek revenge against the doctor. Days into his second term, Trump pulled federal funding for Fauci's security detail. Gates, a Democratic Party donor who contributed millions to Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, also frequently pops up in some conspiracy theories. He has funded vaccination campaigns in poor countries, fueling online speculation that his vaccines contain microchips to track people. The tank in the video was one of 28 tanks and more than two dozen armored vehicles making the weeks-long, cross-country journey to appear in the Army's 250th anniversary parade in the nation's capital on June 14. The tanks and vehicles will be unloaded from the train cars on June 9 in Jessup, Maryland, and transported to downtown Washington by truck. More: Trump's getting his military parade. Here's what they look like from France to Russia The Army is also laying down steel plates on spots in the parade route where the tanks will turn to protect the roads and has said it will pay for any damage they sustain. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said on May 29 she is still "concerned" about road damage. The parade has faced scrutiny for conspicuously falling on President Donald Trump's birthday – also June 14. Trump pushed for a military parade during this first term but canceled his plans after pushback from Democrats and local politicians over the cost and logistics. This time around, the parade is estimated to cost as much as $40 million. Around 7,000 soldiers will also arrive in Washington for the occasion, which will also feature historic warplanes, helicopters, parachutists, and a bevy of events and entertainment. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army scrubs vid of parade tank with 'Hang Fauci & Bill Gates' graffiti
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
AG Brown sues 5 WA apartments for ‘deceiving' senior tenants
The Brief Five Western Washington apartments and its management company are being sued by Attorney General Nick Brown. The lawsuit claims that the complexes have deceived its primarily low-income senior tenants. The complexes have allegedly deceived future and current tenants of rent increases, property quality, amenity quality and building safety. SEATTLE - Attorney General Nick Brown sues five apartment complexes in Western Washington he alleges "deceived" low-income senior tenants. Brown filed a complaint Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court against the apartment complexes and property management firm, FPI Management, for deceptive practices against senior tenants. What we know The following Western Washington apartment complexes are part of the lawsuit: Vintage at Everett Vintage at Mill Creek Vintage at Sequim Vintage at Tacoma Cedar Pointe Apartments FPI has been allegedly violating the Consumer Protection Act over the last several years, after the management company and the property owners failed to disclose rent increases, apartment unit quality, property safety and the quality of apartment amenities like pools and gyms. FPI markets its apartments to tenants 55 years and older who are also low-income. Brown claims that the company does not inform future tenants that their rent will be decided on Area Median Income, resulting in seniors paying more than the Social Security or pension incomes they live on. What they're saying "Housing is particularly important for older Washingtonians, and it's hard for them to move once they've signed a lease," said Brown in a statement. "It's egregious to convince vulnerable populations they're getting quality living when in reality they are stuck with properties in disrepair that also end up costing more than they expected over time." Additionally, FPI has allegedly deceived tenants of the quality of their apartment units, building quality and amenity qualities. FPI markets the quality of its buildings as "luxury" and "resort style" but photos of the buildings show broken appliances, mold, leaks and other building damage. Some amenities the apartments promised to tenants were either nonexistent, shut down or broken. The apartment complexes also raised concerns around safety, as many did not have anyone monitoring people or vehicles entering and exiting the property, which has led to trespassing, theft and vandalism. What's next Brown's complaint calls for an injunction that prevents FPI and property owners from continuing the alleged unlawful activity. It also seeks a civil penalty of $12,500 for each Consumer Protection Act violation, restitution to impacted tenants and coverage of legal costs. The Source Information in this article is from a Washington State Attorney General's Office press release. Seattle traffic to be impacted from upcoming protests Authorities shift tactics in search for WA triple murder suspect Travis Decker Manhunt for Travis Decker moves to WA's Kittitas County Anti-Trump 'NO KINGS' protests planned for Seattle this weekend Seattle police disperse 'ICE OUT' protesters after fire breaks out downtown Everything you need to know about Seattle Pride Parade 2025 Things to do for Father's Day in Seattle To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.