U.S. Coast Guard Ship Seizes $48 Million in Drugs in Middle East

A U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter seized an estimated $48 million worth of drugs from a fishing vessel while patrolling the Gulf of Oman, Oct. 10.

While operating in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, USCGC Glen Harris (WPC 1144) seized 5,000 kilograms of hashish and 800 kilograms of methamphetamine as the fishing vessel transited international waters. CTF 150, led by the Royal Saudi Navy, is one of four task forces under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the world’s largest multinational naval partnership.

Glen Harris previously interdicted another fishing vessel Aug. 30 while patrolling the Gulf of Oman. The interdiction led to CTF 150 seizing 2,980 kilograms of hashish and 320 kilograms of amphetamine tablets worth $20 million. This followed two earlier Glen Harris seizures of heroin, methamphetamine and amphetamine pills worth $28 million in the same body of water in May.

The fast response cutter arrived in the Middle East in January and operates from the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain where CMF is headquartered with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet.