The United States Coast Guard stopped an effort to smuggle nearly half a billion dollars worth of cocaine into the country earlier this month, Pentagon officials confirmed. The seizure came amid increasing concern about the flow of illicit drugs into the United States, especially over the southern border.
The Coast Guard seized $468 million worth of cocaine from eight ships off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America earlier this year.
The seizures were praised by Coast Guard Cutter Monro Captain Rula Deisher, who said that his “crew put in an incredible amount of work over very long hours, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
“Their dedication and grit goes to show that Munro is one of the best national security cutters in the fleet, and we are committed to keeping the country safe by stopping illegal drugs before they hit the street,” the captain said.
Members of Congress have increasingly called for the Biden administration to shut down the southern border to stop the flow of migrants and drugs into the country.
Even illegal immigrants are concerned about the national security threat posed by our southern border!
This illegal immigrant from Turkey was shocked about the lack of security at our southern border and is concerned about the criminals, gangs, and drugs pouring in ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3aTfJe55OE
— Jodey Arrington (@JodeyArrington) May 28, 2024
In addition to traditional drugs such as heroin and cocaine, synthetic drugs such as fentanyl have been causing a wave of American deaths.
A report earlier this year found that the death rate due to fentanyl had reached a record high.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were about 108,000 deaths caused by drug overdoses in 2022. This was an increase from the about 107,000 deaths caused by overdoses in 2021. The largest cause for the increase has been the introduction of fentanyl.
Compared to the year 2000, the rate of drug overdose deaths in the country has about quadrupled. The issue has also become a key political debate.
Fentanyl has been dangerous on its own, but it is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin and cocaine. This has helped to dramatically increase the number of overdoses. The raw strength of fentanyl means that several grains could kill a healthy adult.
