ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Sailors from the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Venturous were welcomed home this week after spending eight weeks at sea for an operation that intercepted more than three metric tons of cocaine, officials said.
The Venturous, a 210-foot cutter with a crew of 75, docked in St. Petersburg Monday, following the Joint Interagency Task Force operation in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Coast Guard said.
The crew traveled more than 10,000 miles over eight weeks and intercepted five drug-smuggling “go-fast” vessels that were carrying $112 million worth of cocaine, officials said.
The Venturous’ crew worked alongside the Department of Homeland Security and Mexican Navy during the operation.
On top of the drug seizures, the crew also rescued an 100-pound endangered green sea turtle tangled in fishing line and helped renovate a state hostel in Tapachula, Mexico, for cancer patients and their families.
“The success Venturous achieved was a result of the hard work and dedication of her crew, along with the combined efforts of Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense personnel operating at sea, in the air and on land,” said Venturous commanding officer Cmdr. Michael R. Gesele. “This was also a unique opportunity for me personally to transit the Panama Canal, a place where my grandfather worked in the Navy over 60 years ago.”
Cox Media Group
