The San Diego-based USS Princeton helped nab roughly 15,000 pounds of marijuana during a drug bust at sea, according to a Navy press release.
Also involved in the June 16th bust were the San Diego-based Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6 and Helicopter Maritime Squadron 75, the USS Nimitz, and the Mexican Navy.
According to the Navy, the 186 bales of marijuana, weighing about 100 pounds each, were probably headed to the United States.
The bust began when the USS Nimitz spotted two vessels believed to be carrying drugs. When the helicopter squadrons flew above the vessels, the drug runners on board began dumping the marijuana bales into the ocean. The USS Princeton deployed rigid hull inflatable boats to pickup the marijuana bales.
Nimitz Strike Group Commander Rear Adm. Pete Gumataotao said of the bust:
“The coordinated response of all hands involved was phenomenal. The combined efforts of each of our strike group components demonstrated the flexibility and capability that defines how we conduct business.”
The USS Princeton and the Mexican Navy ended up gathering a total of 186 bales of marijuana out of the sea. The pot was then handed over to the Coast Guard.
