More than seven tons of cocaine seized from smuggling boats by the U.S. Coast Guard were offloaded at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale Thursday morning.
The drugs were confiscated during stops of seven suspected smuggling vessels and the recovery of two floating bale fields found off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, Coast Guard officials said.
The 14,000 pounds of cocaine are worth an estimated $211 million.
"Today's offload highlights the successes of a dedicated team of multiple cutters and international and inter-agency partners who remain committed to disabling the illicit smuggling networks that fuel criminal organizations and threaten our economic, national and border security," Coast Guard Cmdr. Bob Kinsey said in a statement.
