Helicopter drug interdiction would be aided by LRAD used for longer range hailing.
USS Crommelin Scores First Narcotics Seizure
Story Number: NNS040706-17
Release Date: 7/6/2004 5:12:00 PM
By Operations Specialist 1st Class Daniel W. Roberts, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs
ABOARD USS CROMMELIN (NNS) -- The guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37) intercepted a shipment of cocaine and arrested five drug smugglers during a June operation while deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command area of responsibility.
The crew of USS Crommelin, working in conjunction with USS Ticonderoga (CG 47), made their first recovery of illegal narcotics since reporting on station patrolling the waters of the Eastern Pacific.
Just before midnight, while conducting counter-drug patrol, Jaguar 605, an SH-60B helicopter embarked in Ticonderoga, detected a drug ferrying speedboat or “go-fast.” Shortly after being detected, the speedboat fled the area, conducting a series of high-speed maneuvers in an attempt to elude the helicopter.
Crommelin, operating in the area, was called into action by Joint Inter-Agency Task Force (JIATF) South and immediately maneuvered at high speed to intercept the fleeing go-fast. Easyrider 57, an SH-60B Helicopter in Crommelin, was launched and aided in the chase, relocating the speedboat and allowing Jaguar 605 to refuel.
With Crommelin acting as a blocker, Ticonderoga maneuvered ahead of the speedboat and ordered the drug runners to stop. While Ticonderoga performed all the necessary steps to persuade the go-fast to halt, Easyrider 57, using its Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera, visually documented the go-fast crew throwing their illegal cargo overboard. Ticonderoga then broke from the chase to recover the contraband while Crommelin continued pursuit.
Shortly after jettisoning the last of their narcotics, the speedboat shut down its engines and came to a halt. U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 102 rapidly deployed from Crommelin via small boat and apprehended the five drug smugglers aboard the go-fast.
Ticonderoga recovered eight bales of cocaine and turned them over to Crommelin after testing and documentation. Ticonderoga then departed the area, and Crommelin remained on station to search for more contraband.
By sundown the following day, Crommelin had recovered a total of 72 cocaine bales weighing more than 50 pounds each and worth a total estimated street value of $36 million. The smugglers were taken turned to appropriate authorities.
Since reporting on station in the Eastern Pacific May 20, Crommelin has disrupted four narcotics smuggling operations and detained 10 suspected drug smugglers. With nearly four months of counter-drug patrol remaining, the crew of Crommelin is looking forward to more “busts” and making the trip from pick-up to delivery an uncertain one for narco-terrorists. |
