(NewsNation) — The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded more than $500 million worth of seized illegal drugs Thursday at Port Everglades, alongside Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The 45,600 pounds of drugs, worth more than $517.5 million, were seized by 14 interdictions in the eastern Pacific Ocean by U.S. Coast Guard cutters Stone and Mohawk crews.
“Today is a historic day. Here at Port Everglades, over 22.5 tons, or 45,000 pounds, of cocaine and 50 pounds of marijuana, valued at over half a billion dollars, are going to be offloaded and taken out of circulation,” Noem said.
Noem said the interdictions and seizures were another milestone in President Donald Trump’s mission to protect the nation and to stop the flow of illicit drugs and trafficking into the U.S.
“This action is a testimony to President Trump’s commitment to delivering for the American people and he has unwavering dedication to our military strength, to our border security, our law enforcement are producing incredible results and his leadership is making America safe again.”
Noem praised the members of the Coast Guard who took part in the operation, praising their security for helping to make communities safer.
“That means that fewer families are going to be torn apart by addiction. That fewer lives are going to be lost to overdoses, that communities will be safer and fewer resources will be at the hands of dangerous violent cartels that seek to do all us harm,” she said.
Since January, the Coast Guard said it has tripled its forces operating on the southern border in response to Trump’s national emergency declaration.
“We are cleaning up our communities from drugs like fentanyl and cocaine and marijuana, Noem said. “We’re protecting the American people and we’re making sure cartels are not profiting from the trafficking of these drugs and preventing violence in our communities.”
NewsNation got an exclusive look at their work from the sky a few weeks ago, riding along with Coast Guard pilots who track migrants through the Caribbean. The flight lasted six hours — starting in Miami and going over several islands.
NewsNation’s Jordan Perkins and Anna Kutz contributed to this report.