US Coast Guard cutter returns from patrol, nabs $19M worth of cocaine

The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast returned home to Astoria, Oregon, May 11, after completing a 59-day counter-narcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific.

Over the course of the patrol Steadfast disrupted over 1,400 pounds of cocaine valued at over $19 million.

Additionally, Steadfast rescued three Mexican fishermen in a joint search and rescue case with the Mexican Navy. The cutter also worked to protect endangered species by saving three Pacific Green Sea turtles from severe entanglement in adrift fishing gear.

The 65-person Astoria-based crew was deployed in support of Joint Interagency Task Force – South, or JIATF-S, with the primary mission of detecting and interdicting illicit drug trafficking. Steadfast also successfully completed missions including search and rescue, endangered species protection, and international relations.

During the deployment, Steadfast traveled over 15,000 miles and earned over 40 crew qualifications. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast is a 210-foot Medium-Endurance Cutter homeported in Astoria, Oregon. Nicknamed El Tiburon Blanco, or “The White Shark,” Steadfast’s primary missions include law enforcement, search and rescue, environmental protection, and fisheries enforcement.