Ramped-Up Counternarcotics Op Has Denied Drug Traffickers $2.5 Billion, Navy Says

[rangerrebew]

Ramped-Up Counternarcotics Op Has Denied Drug Traffickers $2.5 Billion, Navy Says
 
More than 30,000 pounds of pure cocaine sit on the pier next to the USS McInerney (FFG-8) just after it was offloaded. 
15 Aug 2020
Military.com | By Hope Hodge Seck

Ordinarily, patrolling the waters near Central and South America for drug traffickers is a job largely left to the U.S. Coast Guard. But since April 1 of this year, the U.S. Navy has surged assets to the region to assist with the mission -- and helped reel in more than $2.5 billion worth of contraband to date.

The operation has gotten presidential attention and is ongoing, with the Navy destroyer Pinckney publicizing a recent major bust this week. The Pinckney, homeported in San Diego, executed a seizure with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment July 24, seizing more than 120 kilograms, or 265 pounds, of suspected cocaine from a single ship. In total, the haul was worth some $4.5 million.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/08/15/ramped-counternarcotics-op-has-denied-drug-traffickers-25-billion-navy-says.html

[sneakypete]

WHY is the US Navy involved in the Drug War?

Isn't that UN-Constitutional?

Isn't that why the USCG was created,and put under the Treasury Dept instead of the War Department?

[Fishrrman]

Pete complains:
"Isn't that why the USCG was created,and put under the Treasury Dept instead of the War Department?"

USCG might be outgunned by the smugglers...   ;)

[sneakypete]

Pete complains:
"Isn't that why the USCG was created,and put under the Treasury Dept instead of the War Department?"

USCG might be outgunned by the smugglers...   ;)

@Fishrrman

Doesn't seem likely. The cutters have naval "rifles" on board. Yeah,they are smaller than the gunnery on Naval line ships,but should be sufficient for USCG needs.

The smaller boats they use to board ships with have 30cal belt-feds on them,and some of the boarding crews carry whatever they call the newest version of the CAR-15.

Not to mention there is few areas they will go where there won't be USN or USAF fighter-bombers on call from not that far away.

You would really have to be a fool to engage the USCG in a gun battle. Chances are none of them have ever been in one,and would get excited and shoot you with every bullet,rocket,and missile they have.