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  • U.S. Coast Guard rescues a sea turtle trapped amid $53 million of cocaine

    The U.S. Coast Guard said a crew came upon a sea turtle in the eastern Pacific Ocean that was entangled in lines that held $53 million of cocaine together. The turtle was cut free and released. The Coast Guard vessel is part of an operation that has seized seven tons of illicit narcotics from the ocean.

The U.S. Coast Guard said a crew came upon a sea turtle in the eastern Pacific Ocean that was entangled in lines that held $53 million of cocaine together. The turtle was cut free and released. The Coast Guard vessel is part of an operation that has seized seven tons of illicit narcotics from the ocean. U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard said a crew came upon a sea turtle in the eastern Pacific Ocean that was entangled in lines that held $53 million of cocaine together. The turtle was cut free and released. The Coast Guard vessel is part of an operation that has seized seven tons of illicit narcotics from the ocean. U.S. Coast Guard

National

Coast Guard pulls $53 million of cocaine from the ocean — and a turtle trapped with it

By Max Londberg

jlondberg@kcstar.com

December 23, 2017 12:14 PM

A large sea turtle was found entangled to large bales containing $53 million worth of cocaine, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Floating around the turtle were 26 bales containing the drugs. The turtle was spotted in the eastern Pacific Ocean by a Coast Guard vessel out on a 68-day counter-trafficking mission.

The crew discovered the turtle on Nov. 19 and cut the turtle free before releasing it back into the ocean, the Coast Guard said in a release published this week.

Anti-drug operations by the Coast Guard have resulted in multiple apprehensions of suspected smugglers and in the recovery of seven tons of illicit narcotics “with a street value over $135 million dollars,” the Coast Guard said.

The seizures are part of Operation Martillo, a joint initiative of 18 countries.

“Operation Martillo demonstrates a clear commitment of the Western Hemisphere and European nations to work as partners to counter the spread of transnational criminal organizations and to protect citizens in Central America from the violence, harm and exploitation created by these criminal networks,” the Coast Guard said.

Max Londberg: 816-234-4378, @MaxLondberg