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McInerney Continues Impressive Counter Drug Operations

By Lt. James Day, USS McInerney Public Affairs

June 9, 2003, aboard USS McINERNEY, At Sea (NNS) - USS McInerney (FFG 8) continued its impressive go-fast, speedboat, interdiction record in late May, nabbing an offshore high performance race boat in high seas, while on routine patrol in the western Caribbean.

This bust marked the crew's fourth seizure of illegal drugs in four months, and resulted in the interdiction of more than two and a half tons of cocaine, as well as the detention of five suspected smugglers. McInerney has seized more than 10 tons of cocaine and apprehended 30 suspected smugglers since deploying from its homeport of Mayport, Fla., Feb. 3.

The bust was the result of the teamwork of an extensive multi-national task force with McInerney on a 900 square-mile patrol, enduring high seas and bad weather. In only two weeks, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 48 Detachment 4 Venom 506 flew more than 175 hours in search of critical contacts.

McInerney also conducted three underway replenishments during the course of this special operation. The ship had been on station in the choppy weather for almost 20 days when a break in the sea state, at least as perceived by the crew of the go-fast, opened the way for the traffickers.

The go-fast crew must not have taken into account the open ocean swells, and subsequently, the boat's speed was significantly degraded. McInerney's patrol route and the inclement weather worked against the suspected smugglers, when the lookouts and bridge team spotted and set a course to intercept the go-fast. In an attempt to avoid arrest, the go-fast crew apparently ignited its boat and the estimated three-ton shipment of illegal drugs.

The McInerney crew diligently fought the fire for more than an hour, cooling the flames down enough to salvage some of the contraband in order to serve as evidence for an eventual arrest. The go-fast did eventually capsize and sink, but not before hundreds of kilograms of cocaine were recovered.

The detaines and the contraband were transferred to the proper authorities.


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