Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Word | CARIBBEAN SEA - U.S Coast Guardsmen, Navy Sailors and Naval Criminal Investigative...... read more read more
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The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67), supporting maritime southern border operations, conducted a hold-and-transfer of approximately 500 kilograms of contraband recovered by the Royal Netherlands Navy Holland-class offshore patrol vessel HNLMS Friesland (P842) in the Caribbean Sea June 17.
The Famous-class U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Northland (WMEC 904) accepted the contraband from the Cole’s embarked USCG Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) June 21,during a rendezvous at sea in the Caribbean.
The Cole, with the embarked LEDET, provides a combination of U.S. Navy endurance, range, and capability with USCG law enforcement authorities, increasing protection to the U.S. southern border’s maritime approach.
The contraband’s transit was detected by Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) South, which collaborates with partner nations and leverages all-domain capabilities to detect and monitor illicit drug trafficking in the region.
The contraband and surrounding circumstances are considered under investigation and are subject to review and disposition through the U.S. Department of Justice.
The U.S. Coast Guard LEDET has unique legal authority to conduct U.S. law enforcement operations in support of border security missions under U.S. Northern Command. Utilizing the Coast Guard’s jurisdiction, the Cole employs LEDET personnel to perform vessel boardings, searches, and seizures in U.S. and international waters, targeting drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and transnational crime with a nexus to the U.S. southern border. With LEDET’s tactical expertise guiding interdiction efforts, the Cole harnesses its advanced surveillance systems and mobility to locate and intercept suspect vessels, effectively extending Coast Guard authority through naval power to enhance maritime security operations. This collaboration ensures a robust, legally empowered response to maritime threats, strengthening U.S. border protection efforts.
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet serves as a trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South American maritime forces and promotes unity, security, and stability in the region.
For more USNAVSOUTH/4th Fleet news and photos, visit facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT, https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil/, X - @ NAVSOUS4THFLT, and https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-naval-forces-southern-command-u-s-4th-fleet
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2025 16:48 |
| Story ID: | 501057 |
| Location: | MAYPORT, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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