MIAMI (CMC) – The United States Coast Guard on Friday said the crew of US Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk offloaded more than 13,803 pounds of cocaine and 3,736 pounds of marijuana, seized in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean in Port Everglades, Florida.

The combined street value of the illegal drugs has an estimated street value of US$185 million (J$28.9 billion).

The US Coast Guard said crews, working alongside interagency and international partners, interdicted the illegal drugs during six separate cases.

“Our offload today represents the combined efforts of US and allied military units from a Caribbean coalition of partners working together to deny drug trafficking organisations access to maritime smuggling routes,” said Commander David Ratner, commanding officer of the US Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk.

“I am especially proud of the hard work of the Mohawk crew and grateful for the opportunity to operate with interagency and NATO partners in support of our national security,” he added

Along with the illicit narcotics, the Coast Guard said 10 suspected smugglers were apprehended and will face prosecution in federal courts by the US Department of Justice.

The US Coast Guard said the offload included contraband seized by Coast Guard law enforcement detachments deployed aboard HMS Trent, HNLMS Groningen and USS Leyte Gulf, whose crew intercepted a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in March.

“The fight against transnational criminal organisations requires a unity of effort in all phases, from detection and monitoring to interdiction and apprehension, through to criminal prosecutions by international partners and US Attorneys’ Offices in districts across the nation,” the US Coast Guard said.