HOUSTON – Homeland Security Investigations Houston and Mexican authorities seized more than 6,000 kilograms of cocaine and arrested 19 suspected drug traffickers during three maritime operations off the coast of Chiapas, Mexico, in July, officials said.
HSI said the seizures totaled 6,080 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of more than $120 million.
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The operations were conducted by HSI Houston, HSI Mexico City and Mexico’s Secretaría de Marina as part of a Homeland Security Task Force initiative targeting foreign terrorist organizations, drug cartels and other transnational criminal groups involved in moving large shipments of illegal drugs.
The three operations took place July 16, July 25 and July 31.
- July 16: 2,840 kilograms of cocaine seized and 10 suspected drug traffickers arrested.
- July 25: 1,800 kilograms of cocaine seized and three suspected drug traffickers arrested.
- July 31: 1,440 kilograms of cocaine seized and six suspected drug traffickers arrested.
“By working alongside our international partners through this HSTF initiative, we’ve prevented more than 6 tons of deadly narcotics from being smuggled into the U.S. or Mexico,” HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas said.
Cabral-DeArmas said the agency will continue working with domestic and international partners to disrupt smuggling routes and target drug trafficking organizations and other transnational criminal networks.
According to HSI, the task force initiative has resulted in 291 arrests and the seizure of approximately 118,350 kilograms of cocaine to date.
Authorities have also seized $3 million in U.S. currency, 47 firearms, 51 vessels, six vehicles, several thousand gallons of fuel and a Cirrus SR-22 airplane as part of the initiative.