US Coast Guard Intercepts Suspected Drug Smuggling Boat Offshore Haiti With Nearly $4 Million In Marijuana

The U.S. Coast Guard said it recently intercepted a suspected drug smuggling vessel offshore Haiti with nearly $4 million worth of marijuana on board.

A Coast Guard law enforcement detachment deployed on the USS Billings stopped a suspected drug smuggling vessel on Thursday, April 30, approximately 8 miles off Mole Saint-Nicolas, Haiti.

With permission from the Haitian government, the Coast Guard boarding team investigated the vessel and found approximately 3,200 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $3.8 million. One person on board was detained.

Both the narcotics and the suspected smuggler were transferred to Haitian authorities on Sunday, May 3.

Along with the USS Billings and the embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment, the Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48, Detachment 3 and the Joint Interagency Task Force South were also involved in interdiction operations.

“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, the 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. Our partnership reflects a continued commitment to collaboration, vigilance, and the rule of law.”