Coast Guard nabs $1 million in cocaine off Galveston

Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Personnel from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted a joint boarding off Galveston, Texas, and brought back more than $1 million in cocaine Dec. 24, 2012. The joint team boarded the 900-foot crude-oil-tanker Godavari Spirit from the Coast Guard Cutter Manowar after the ship notified the Coast Guard of a suspicious package, which turned out to be 31 bags of cocaine totaling 86 pounds. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)  

HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES

12.26.2012

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Kendrick 

U.S. Coast Guard District 8 PADET Houston

HOUSTON - Coast Guard personnel were joined by other federal agencies Christmas Eve to remove more than 85 pounds of cocaine from a ship off the Galveston coast.

The crew of the 900-foot oil tanker Godavari Spirit notified Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston that they located a suspicious package hidden aboard their ship and suspected it to contain narcotics.

A joint boarding team consisting of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, were taken 70 miles offshore Monday aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Manowar to board the tanker and locate the cocaine.

Upon completing a thorough search, the team located and seized a total of 31 packages of cocaine valued at an estimated $1,139,000. The value may vary depending on the quality of the drug.

• Date Taken: 12.26.2012
• Date Posted: 12.26.2012 17:04
• Story ID: 99744
• Location: HOUSTON, TEXAS, US