Coast Guard Cocaine Seizure

A Maine-based Coast Guard unit has seized $200 million in cocaine, and saved some sea turtles on the same trip.

Twenty-four drug smugglers were arrested in the bust, after the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Campbell (great name!) seized about 12,000 pounds of cocaine during an 80-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The Coast Guard ship is based in Kittery, where it returned on Friday and got some help with this bust from a helicopter crew out of Florida. Officials say the street value of the cocaine is about $209 million.

During the trip, the Coast Guard crew also rescued three sea turtles that they found tangled in some fishing gear.

"During this challenging deployment, the crew excelled in all assigned missions and should be exceptionally proud of their accomplishments," said Commander Mark McDonnell, commanding officer of the Campbell. The ship is a 29-year-old Famous-class cutter home ported in Kittery, with a crew complement of 100.

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