The U.S. Navy has announced that the USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) recently executed two successful interdictions, resulting in the seizure of drugs worth an excess of $113 million in wholesale value.
The vessel, an Independence-variant littoral combat ship, was built by Austal USA at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Mobile, Alabama, and commissioned by the Navy in 2017.
Homeported in San Diego, California, the USS Gabrielle Giffords is currently deployed to the U.S. Fourth Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter illicit drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. This stems from U.S. Southern Command’s enhanced counter-narcotics operations launched earlier this year in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs in support of Presidential National Security Objectives.
On December 2, the USS Gabrielle Giffords, with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment, seized 200 kilograms of suspected cocaine in one interdiction. These drugs are worth over an estimated wholesale value of $7.5 million. Three suspected drug traffickers were detained in this interdiction.
This was followed by an even more fruitful interdiction on December 5, when the ship — again with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment — seized an estimated 2,810 kilograms of suspected cocaine. This shipment, comprised of 134 bales, is worth over an estimated wholesale value of $106 million. Three suspected drug traffickers were also detained in this interdiction.
“The work our team does out here, not only helps support the counter-narcotics mission, but also makes these waters safer for all who sail,” stated Cmdr. Rion Martin, commanding officer of Gabrielle Giffords. “I’m extremely proud of the professionalism displayed by our men and women as we continue to enhance regional security and stability in U.S. 4th Fleet.”
“Interdiction evolutions, no matter how often you conduct them, are different every time,” added Chief Boatswains Mate Daniel Pike. “Our team is dedicated to exemplifying the qualities of safe, professional mariners during these operations from start to finish.”
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
