A Maine-based Coast Guard cutter returned to Kittery Friday after seizing 12,000 pounds of cocaine and rescuing three sea turtles during an 80-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

The crew of the cutter Campbell disrupted six narcotic smuggling ventures, detained 24 suspected smugglers and seized the cocaine, which was valued at $209 million, according to the Coast Guard. The crew was also able to help three sea turtles that were found entangled in loose fishing gear.

Crewmembers from Coast Guard Cutter Campbell, a medium-endurance cutter homeported in Kittery, rescue 2 sea turtles entangled in abandoned fishing gear on May 5, 2018, in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

The cutter, equipped with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, patrolled known narcotic transit zones in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Central and South America. The patrol was in support of Joint Interagency Task Force-South, which focuses on disrupting and dismantling illicit threats.

“During this challenging deployment, the crew excelled in all assigned missions and should be exceptionally proud of their accomplishments,” said cutter Cmdr. Mark McDonnell in a prepared statement. “Our efforts to integrate with partner agencies and nations are key to the safe and successful execution of these complex interdiction operations as we work together to remove cocaine bound for the United States and help dismantle criminal networks.”

The Campbell is a 29-year-old Famous-Class cutter with a crew of 100.

A pallet of cocaine seized in the eastern Pacific Ocean is offloaded from the Coast Guard Cutter Campbell in Port Everglades, Florida, on June 8, 2018.


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