Statement by Secretary Jeh C. Johnson on Sustaining Clean Audit for Third Year

Statement

I congratulate the captain, officers and crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter BERTHOLF on its return from a successful patrol in the Eastern Pacific. Thanks to their great work along with the efforts of other federal and international partners, 2015 has been the most successful fiscal year for counter drug operations in the Eastern Pacific since 2009.

While at sea, the BERTHOLF seized nearly 29,000 pounds of cocaine worth over $432 million during 11 different interdictions. The BERTHOLF also took possession of an additional 20,000 pounds seized by Coast Guard and Canadian forces over a four-month period in the Eastern Pacific. BERTHOLF's total offload of more than 49,000 pounds of cocaine worth $748 million represents a significant portion of the remarkable interagency and partner nation interdiction efforts for FY 2015, which totaled more than 110 interdictions, 700 suspected smugglers taken into custody, and the seizure of nearly 709,888 pounds of cocaine worth roughly $9.4 billion.

The U.S. Coast Guard's missions are vital to our homeland security, maritime security and public safety. The BERTHOLF'S recent success is a testament to the dedication and excellence exhibited by the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard every day. I'm also proud of the impressive cooperation between the U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement and intelligence agencies in the U.S., Canada and other partner nations that made this mission possible.

This year marked the U.S. Coast Guard's 225th anniversary. I said then that the U.S. Coast Guard can look forward to a future 225 years even brighter than the last 225. The BERTHOLF has started us down the right path.

To the captain, officers and crew of the BERTHOLF, thank you.

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