US Air and Marine Operations P-3 crews and partners seize nearly nine tons of cocaine over 3 events

US Air and Marine Operations (AMO) National Air Security Operations Center, P-3 Long Range Tracker and Airborne Early Warning crews and United States Southern Command partners conducted three counter-narcotics operations in July and August that disrupted 17,620 pounds of cocaine, denying transnational criminal organizations operating in drug source and transit zones an estimated $333.2 million.

  • On July 11, P-3 Airborne Early Warning and Long Range Tracker crews located and tracked a suspect vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean then turned tracking over to a United States Navy P-8 aircrew assumed tracking. The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk launched a helicopter crew and small boat team to interdict the vessel. Coast Guard teams seized 1,748 pounds of cocaine and detained three individuals.
  • On July12, a P-3 Airborne Early Warning crew detected a suspect go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea. Partner nation teams tracked the vessel and discovered approximately 12,456 pounds of cocaine in a suspected offload location.
  • On August 6, a P-3 Long Range Tracker crew located a suspect fishing vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The aircrew surveilled the vessel and guided the United States Coast Guard Cutter Forward to conduct a law enforcement boarding. Coast Guard teams seized 3,416 pounds of cocaine and detained four individuals.