Coast Guard crews seize 11 tons of cocaine from smugglers

SAN DIEGO (KABC) -- U.S. Coast Guard crews seized 11 tons of cocaine from smugglers off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America in August and September, officials said.

The Coast Guard Cutter Stratton offloaded the seized drugs recently in San Diego.

The cocaine was seized in operations by three Coast Guard cutters, the Stratton, Seneca and Active from late August to mid-September.

Coast Guard officials say the seizures take significant financial resources away from organized crime.

"These interdiction results take hundreds of millions of dollars away from these criminal networks that work to undermine the rule of law in South and Central America, which increases migration pressures on the U.S. southern border," Capt. Craig J. Wieschhorster, commanding officer of the Stratton.

"Keeping this product off the streets of America saves lives, and I am very proud of the efforts of my crew."