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Release Date: March 21, 2007
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Washington, D.C.
Secretary Chertoff: Well, good afternoon, everybody. I'm glad you were able to join us here today. I'm here with Admiral Allen, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and his staff, to celebrate what is truly a tremendous accomplishment by the Coast Guard. It's also an interagency accomplishment, and I'm delighted to welcome Administrator Karen Tandy of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and to thank her for her partnership with us; and also Alex Turner, the section chief of the Gangs and Criminal Enterprise section of the FBI, and thank the Bureau for their tremendous collaborative work with us.
Most important, I'd like to take a moment and thank the men and women of the Coast Guard for their selfless dedication carrying out their critical mission, safeguarding our nation's shores, ports and waterways, and protecting our citizens and our way of life.
Of course, in addition to their many national security and safety missions, the men and women of the Coast Guard have a responsibility to work with other agencies to stem the flow of illegal narcotics into this country.
And so I'm proud to announce that, working with DEA, the Coast Guard in the last few days made the largest maritime cocaine seizure in our nation's history, and I think what may be certainly among the top, if not the top, seizures ever in the nation's history.
Through a comprehensive interagency effort, over 42,000 pounds of cocaine – that's over 21 tons of cocaine – were seized from a vessel approximately 20 miles off the coast of Panama on March 17th. That's nearly $300 million wholesale value in illegal drugs that were prevented from entering our country.
This seizure breaks the Coast Guard's previous record of 30,000 pounds, which had been set in 2004, and brings the Coast Guard's total cocaine seizures for this fiscal year to 197,000 pounds, nearly 49,000 more pounds than at the same time in the last fiscal year.
I want to thank the crew members of the Coast Guard cutters Sherman and Hamilton, who intercepted and boarded the Panamanian-flagged vessel Gatun, and discovered the drugs hidden in two containers. In fact, for Captain Charley Diaz, with whom I had the opportunity to speak a couple days ago, and the crew of the Sherman, this seizure was their third drug interdiction in two months at sea.
This operation is an outstanding example of the value of teamwork and coordination among federal agencies such as the DEA, Coast Guard, and other Homeland Security and Department of Justice components. I also want to thank the government of Panama for its very important assistance and continued cooperation.
Were it not for the continued efforts of these federal and international partners, millions of dollars and millions of pounds of illegal drugs would be pouring into the cities and states by now, generating huge profits to fund nefarious activities and increasing the horrors of narcotics abuse and addiction in our society.
Using intelligence and sharing information among various federal, state, local and international organizations, we are putting enormous pressure on drug traffickers, human smugglers and others who violate our laws, and we are making it increasingly difficult for them to carry out their operations, whether by land, by sea or by air.
Our strategy of expanding our perimeter of protection and patrol is becoming more effective as we continue to seize larger amounts of drugs and illegal contraband well before they reach our shores.
Once again, I want to compliment the dedicated men and women of the Coast Guard for this tremendous accomplishment, as well as those of the DEA and other Department of Justice officials, whose efforts made this historic seizure possible.
With continued intelligence and tough enforcement, we will make more seizures in the future, and will work to set even greater records of detecting and interdicting drugs and other contraband coming into the United States. Through collaboration, we've been able to strengthen our counter-narcotics efforts and send a strong message to drug traffickers where it hurts: in their pocketbook.
Now I'll turn it over to Admiral Allen.
Admiral Allen: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and congratulations to my interagency partners that are here with us.
Let me summarize the case for you. On March 17th, a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft, which was on patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean off of Panama, sighted the Panama flagged merchant vessel Gatun approximately 20 miles off the Panamanian coast. The Coast Guard's 11th district in Alameda, California, invoked a bilateral agreement we have with the country of Panama that allowed us to enter the contiguous zone of Panama and take enforcement action against the vessel.
The government of Panama quickly responded to our request – terrific international partner – and we had the Coast Guard cutter Sherman and the Coast Guard cutter Hamilton nearby. Once on board, we discovered a number of bales in two containers, again, totaling more than 42,000 pounds.
This evening, the Sherman will arrive in Panama and turn over custody of three Panamanian crew members and a representative sample of cocaine to the Panamanian government for prosecution under our bilateral agreement, and the remaining 11 non-Panamanian detainees and contraband will be forwarded to the middle district of Florida in Tampa for further action.
It is noteworthy that the cutter Sherman executed this intercept despite significant mechanical difficulties. They had a casualty to one of their main diesel engines and they were operating basically on one of two shafts. They had lost their water-making capability in their evaporators and were actually shuttling parts back and forth with a helicopter from shore, even as the boarding team was put on board. The Coast Guard cutter Hamilton nearby provided extra security forces for the boarding and were able to execute it.
If I were to give you the messages from what happened off the coast of Panama this last weekend, it would be that this does not happen alone. The Coast Guard cannot execute these types of missions without the incredible support of our interagency partners and our international partners, in this case the country of Panama. We were operating out there with some very old equipment – 40-year-old cutter – and we're in the process of recapitalizing these ships and aircraft through our Deepwater program; we need to continue that. And finally, to continue with record-breaking seizures, we need to share information, cooperate at every level, and the folks that are here before you today are outstanding partners in doing that, and it's a pleasure to call them not only colleagues but friends.
Karen Tandy, the podium is yours.
Administrator Tandy: Good afternoon. It is a real honor to stand with the United States Coast Guard, Admiral Allen and Secretary Chertoff, as well as the FBI today. For those of you who are keeping score, let's recap where we are in the war on drugs, because it's been victory after victory over the past two months.
Three days ago, as you've heard, the U.S. Coast Guard, as a result of joint DEA and Panamanian law enforcement information, made the largest maritime seizure of drugs the world has ever seen. On the high seas of the Eastern Pacific, bound for Mexico, the freighter Gatun was stopped before it could deliver the now 21 metric tons of cocaine, denying Mexican traffickers what amounts to $300 million worth of wholesale-level cocaine, $600 million at a retail level, and severely disrupting this transportation organization.
That was three days ago. Six days ago, in an unrelated operation, our Mexican law enforcement partners, working closely with DEA, seized $205 million in cash from methamphetamine chemical traffickers. This was the largest cash seizure that's ever been made. It is beating a record that was set just two months ago, when Colombian authorities, working with DEA, seized $80 million in cash and gold in Cali, Colombia.
Sixty-one days ago, in an unprecedented action, 11 Mexican drug-trafficking leaders were extradited to the United States. Never before have so many high-level drug traffickers, including a violent kingpin from all four of Mexico's four drug – major cartels have been sent here to the United States for justice. Never, in the history of our countries.
That makes three big strikes in less than two months against the once untouchable and feared Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for so much of the drug supply in the United States. And that makes three big victories in the global fight against drugs.
DEA and our partners are shattering our own records as quickly as we make them, and more than that, we're shattering the drug organization's financial capability and operation ability.
Later today, as you've heard, 11 of those 16 traffickers who were arrested in relationship with the Gatun boarding are expected to arrive in Tampa for U.S. prosecution. The drug trafficking organization – this was a Mexican-based transportation cell that was transporting these 21 tons off of the coast of Panama – did so brazenly, although most traffickers conceal their drug poisons in the loads of legitimate cargo or in compartments. This organization did none of that. Now, they simply loaded bales of cocaine, as you've seen on the screen here, they simply loaded these bales of cocaine into cargo containers on the top of the deck of this freighter. They were hiding in plain sight on the main deck.
Their flagrant disregard of the international drug laws has now cost them their freedom, and it has landed us their most precious cargo: $300 million to $600 million worth of cocaine. And the Gatun was the one big fish that didn't get away.
Thank you.
Secretary Chertoff: We'll take some questions. Before we do, let me just make one observation. To help all of you connect the dots up, these blows against Mexican drug trafficking organizations not only keep drugs out of the country, but they strike at the economic engine that allows these organizations to acquire weapons and carry out acts of violence and terrorize people in Mexico through their use of force and armed means.
So striking at this kind of drug trade really does advance not only our national security but the national security of Mexico. It's a win-win for everybody on an international level.
Questions.
Question: Two quick ones, just to clarify. How many of those 11 guys who are going to arrive in Tampa are Mexican citizens? And have you identified which Mexican drug cartel this cocaine has --
Administrator Tandy: As to your first question, it is my understanding that the 11 who will be prosecuted in the United States arriving later today are all Mexican nationals. And the investigation is continuing, as to the cartel connections to this particular load of cocaine.
Question: The press release mentioned that this was the result of good, actionable intelligence, and then in your statement, you talked about this cutter being out on routine patrol. Was there intelligence that led the Coast Guard to look for these specific drugs or this vessel?
Secretary Chertoff: I don't think we're going to be any more specific, because to the extent you rely on intelligence, it only works if you keep it confidential. I think generally, our activities, we do use intelligence as an important element of what we do. But we are also obviously always out patrolling as well.
Question: Well, can you – could I just rephrase it then – can you say that you expected to find what you found?
Admiral Allen: The cutter Sherman was under the tactical control of Joint Interagency Task Force South [JIATF], which is an element of U.S. Southern Command. And under legislation passed in the 1980s, DOD supports us through detection and monitoring. Once the targets are identified, then those assets are shifted to Coast Guard control, and we exercise our law enforcement authority. In this case, both the Sherman and the Hamilton, and the Coast Guard C-130 surveillance aircraft were operating under the JIATF South. The airplane made the sighting of the vessel that cued the boarding that followed.
Question: Mr. Secretary, what do you think it says that there was no attempt to disguise this shipment that was so brazenly being shipped? What do you think that says about the cartel's fear of interdiction?
Secretary Chertoff: I think the cartels have – notwithstanding the fact that as Administrator Tandy said, we've had a series of very recent notable successes – I still think they operate with a mentality of impunity, where they think they can get away with what they're doing. That is changing, though, because I think what we've done, and frankly what President Calderón has done in Mexico, in these extraditions that were recently accomplished, is beginning to send a message that we are more effective and that their sense of being invulnerable is being significantly degraded.
But the fact is, it's a very lucrative business, where the drug cartels make billions of dollars. And I think it's – the flagrant way in which they behave is a pretty good window into what is in their head. But I do think that the steps we've taken, just in the last couple months – and I want to emphasize the steps that the Mexican government has taken – strike me as exactly the way to turn that mentality around. But I want to warn you, experience shows that as you get more effective against criminal organizations, they get more violent. So as we've seen violence, I think that's an unhappy indicator of the fact that they are beginning to sense the threat to their livelihood, and that is going to cause a certain amount of reaction.
Question: (Inaudible) lately by the U.S. government. However, President Calderón recently complained, I think, in an interview with The Washington Post that this report by the U.S. is basically symbolic, in the sense that it's very, small in the war against drugs. Is the U.S. listening seriously to these kind of remarks, and is the U.S. government seriously considering perhaps increasing its support, either financial, (inaudible) resources to the Mexican government, specifically in (inaudible)?
Secretary Chertoff: Well, we've been very eager to work with the Mexican government and lend assistance to them. We obviously have to be invited in. We're pleased that President Calderón and his senior national security team has been reaching out. I had an opportunity to go down to Mexico a few weeks ago; I know Administrator Tandy did, and other officials, and we're looking forward to working with our counterparts in Mexico to see what we can do specifically to help them do what they are doing in order to make sure they're securing their country against these illegal and violent drug cartels.
Question: But you haven't identified any specific area that you can help them?
Secretary Chertoff: I think there are a number of ways we can help them, and I'm looking forward to continuing to work with my counterparts to figure out what is it that they specifically need, what it is we have available, and how it is we can work cooperatively in the most effective way.
Administrator Tandy: I would just like to add to that, from DEA, we've been working extremely closely with the Calderón government, in particular Attorney General Medina Mora and other Cabinet officials in Mexico. And specifically with regard to assistance, you don't have to look farther than the $205 million record seizure that was made in Mexico City six days ago. For that seizure, that was directly related to the support that DEA has been giving to our Mexican counterparts, in terms of training regarding methamphetamine. The $205 million was related to precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of meth. It was, in part, the training that they received, as well as other assistance from DEA, that enabled them to make that seizure.
The assistance that we have given Mexico extends well beyond that. We've trained some 2,000, just in the last year, 2,000 Mexican law enforcement and prosecutors, specifically regarding methamphetamine production and trafficking and prosecutions, as well as chemical control.
We also have donated to Mexico eight clandestine lab trucks to use in their enforcement operations against the manufacturing of methamphetamine in Mexico. And that is just as to methamphetamine. Our history with Mexico and support to Mexico, in terms of training, as well as other assistance, extends for many, many years beyond this.
Question: A quick follow-up on that. One specific complaint of the Mexican government is that U.S. is not doing enough to stop the arms trafficking to Mexico from the U.S. side. And I wonder if any of you, Secretary, can tell us is the new strategy to stop the arms manufactured in the U.S. going to Mexico? Most of the narcotraffickers use 90 percent guns made in U.S.
Secretary Chertoff: We have been – when I was down there in Mexico a few weeks ago, we talked about this issue. We are working with the Mexican government on a strategy to identify how it is we can interrupt the flow of illegal arms into Mexico. Obviously a big part of that is to find a way so that the Mexicans, when they inspect people coming across the border, can target those people who are shipping illegal guns in.
Question: Mr. Secretary, is this the same operation that was announced a couple of days ago in Panama, in coordination with the Panamanian --
Secretary Chertoff: Is which the same? This?
Admiral Allen: Yes, it was.
Question: Is that a way to (inaudible)?
Administrator Tandy: I would just – a couple of things. It was seized, as we've said, three days ago. What's happening today is a more accurate count of the cocaine. As you may recall, the early reports were at lower levels; the processing of that seizure has results in a more accurate count as to the amount of cocaine involved, as well as today, this afternoon, the 11 defendants are expected to arrive in the United States. So it is continuing to be current every day with new events involved.
Question: Mr. Secretary, a follow-up on Bob's question about the brazen attitude of these cartels. Could it perhaps be traced to the fact that they believe it's easy to get away with? The Pentagon, in its recent budget report to Congress, said that it is detecting only 22 percent of actionable maritime events because it lacks optimal – the optimal number of assets. They talk about 62 percent of maritime – or maritime surveillance is down 62 percent; Blackhawk helicopters are being rededicated to support troops in battle; deactivation of radar balloons along the southern border. How big a role is all this playing?
Secretary Chertoff: Well, first of all, I can't comment on the Navy department's budget; that's out of my domain. I think that there's always a challenge. It's a big ocean, and detection and interdiction is always a challenge. I think if you look back over the history of what we've done over the last few years, we've been quite successful. But obviously there's still a big drug problem in this country. What we have to do is work to continue to enhance the quality of our assets – I think Admiral Allen talked about that a little bit – the quality of our targeting so we are more precise in what we're able to do. And international cooperation is a big deal, too. When we have good working relationships with countries like Mexico and Panama, that's very helpful. And we have to continue to press on countries all over Latin America to make sure that they are working with us, in terms of helping us identify and interdict illegal drugs.
Question: Can you speak to that – the reduction of assets, please?
Question: Yes, and is it putting pressure on the Coast Guard?
Admiral Allen: Well, I think it's important to understand the difference between an activity level and an outcome. We are in the four or five-year period right now of unprecedented seizures on behalf of the Coast Guard and the maritime domain. And in some cases, we may have fewer assets than we had the year before, but it relates to how do you leverage those assets you got into the effect; we are seizing more drugs. So the effect we want to achieve is being achieved. Now, there are other opportunities out there we can exploit, but the force multipliers that are so extremely important to us are things like this bilateral agreement with Panama that authorizes -- once we've discussed it with them – that authorizes us to enter their customs waters and take enforcement action on their behalf. And it's the interagency sharing of information, and the way all that comes together, joint interagency task force south, that allows us to cue in on the targets.
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This page was last reviewed/modified on March 21, 2007.
