The USS Minneapolis-St. Paul, the state’s namesake ship serving the U.S. Navy, was instrumental in recently stopping two drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean within 72 hours of one another during its maiden deployment, officials said.
The drug busts resulted in the confiscation of 1,200 pounds of cocaine (worth an estimated $9.5 million) and 2,400 pounds of marijuana (worth an estimated $2.8 million), according to a Navy press release.
The so-called littoral combat ship worked with the U.S. Coast Guard to take out the drug smuggling vessels through a combination of air and surface operations.
“The USS Minneapolis-St. Paul executed their duties seamlessly in the combined effort to protect the homeland from illicit maritime trafficking,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet.
“We train diligently and stand ready to execute interdiction missions at moment’s notice,” said Minneapolis-St. Paul commanding officer Cmdr. Steven Fresse. “To be able to make an immediate impact so early on during our maiden deployment is a testament to the hard work and skills of the ship’s crew.”
The new ship’s homeport is in Mayport, Fla., near Jacksonville.
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