The San Diego-based crew of the USS New Orleans had a very interesting Saturday morning. According to the Navy ship's website, the U.S. Coast Guard contacted the New Orleans crew about 10 a.m. to help out with what looked to be a distressed Mexican fishing boat.
A fishing boat it was not. As the New Orleans approached the 20-foot vessel, the crew began to get reports that people aboard that boat were dumping "contraband" (drugs) from the deck into the ocean. That's when the New Orleans crew sprang into action:
An unnamed U.S. official told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the contraband was marijuana. Like, 1,800 pounds of it. The U-T reports the Coast Guard took custody of the contraband, while the Mexican Navy took custody of the "fishing" boat crew.
The day job, so to speak, of the USS New Orleans is to transport as many as 700 fully-equipped Marines at any given time. Nice job moonlighting!
