Air and Marine Operations (AMO), a branch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, intercepted a vessel on Sunday near Luquillo, Puerto Rico. The operation led to the arrest of four individuals from the Dominican Republic and the seizure of 335 pounds (152 kilograms) of cocaine valued at approximately $2.7 million.
Christopher Hunter, Director of Air and Marine Operations in the Caribbean, emphasized the importance of maritime domain awareness in protecting borders. He stated, “By leveraging intelligence, advanced surveillance capabilities, and strong interagency collaboration, AMO continues to lead efforts in detecting and countering illicit activities across the region.”
The incident began on May 17 when a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft detected a suspicious maritime target around 80 miles north of Luquillo. The aircraft maintained surveillance until it was relieved by a Caribbean Air and Marine Branch Multirole Enforcement Aircraft. This led to coordination with AMO units from San Juan and Fajardo, who intercepted the vessel about 18 nautical miles north of Luquillo.
Inside the vessel, agents found seven bales of cocaine and detained four individuals from the Dominican Republic. The seized drugs and detainees were handed over to Special Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
AMO's mission involves using aviation and maritime law enforcement expertise to address security threats throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is noted as America's frontline defense with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to ensuring national security through various measures such as innovation and collaboration.
