Heather Mongilio – May 12, 2025 5:26 PM
USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS-21) interdicted a drug smuggling vessel in early May, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul left at the end of March for its maiden deployment, heading to U.S. Southern Command, where its primary mission focuses on counter-illicit drug trafficking, according to a Navy release from the deployment. The Littoral Combat Ship, with a Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment embarked, has been part of the Joint Interagency Task Force South during its deployment.
Maritime patrol aircraft alert Minneapolis-Saint Paul’s crew about the suspected drug smuggling vessel. The LCS headed to the target and then launched a helicopter from Helicopter Strike Squadron (HSM) 50, which is embarked on the ship, according to the Navy release.
The helicopter crew observed the vessel’s crew jettisoning packages, prompting sailors aboard Minneapolis-Saint Paul to launch a rigid-hull inflatable boat with the embarked LEDET aboard.
The boarding team found 22 bales of alleged cocaine, according to the release.
“USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul is delivering decisive blows against transnational criminal organizations,” Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, said in the release. “These interdictions send a clear message: We are vigilant, and illicit trafficking will be interdicted to protect our homeland as well as our regional partners from this threat.”
The next day, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Venturous’ (WMEC-625) crew offloaded about 5,300 pounds of cocaine and marijuana at the Coast Guard base in Miami Beach. The combined value of the drugs was about $14.1 million, according to a May 2 Coast Guard release.
The marijuana and cocaine were from four interdictions in the Caribbean Sea. The Coast Guard attributes the interdictions to USCGC Diligence (WMEC-616) and HNLMS Groningen (P843), a ship in the Royal Netherlands’ Navy with an embarked LEDET. It was not clear if Minneapolis-Saint Paul’s interdiction was included, although the Joint Interagency Task Force-South was part of the four interdictions.
However, it was likely at least part of one of the interdictions. In mid-April, the LCS interdicted two vessels and confiscated 580 kilograms of cocaine and 1,125 kilograms of marijuana.
“Stopping harmful and illicit narcotics from reaching our shores and entering our communities is a team effort,” Venturous Commanding Officer Cmdr. Karen Kutkiewicz said in the release. “It takes the combined efforts of our joint force DoD, DHS, and international partners to combat transnational criminal organizations.”
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