(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Law enforcement authorities from the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Alaska State Troopers and local police departments participated in a joint law enforcement operation to detect and deter illegal activity on Alaska Marine Highway System and inter-island ferries, June 24 thru July 2.

The operation took place randomly at AMHS ferry terminals in Bellingham, Washington; Ketchikan and Kodiak over the course of the week.

Canine teams from Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Francisco (91105), MSST Seattle (91101), MSST Los Angeles/Long Beach (91103), Maritime Security Response Team – West and the Alaska State Troopers conducted sweeps of the ferry system.  

During the course of the operation, authorities assessed 1,577 passengers, 418 crew members, and 549 vehicles. Multiple pieces of contraband were confiscated including 56 grams of heroin, one ounce of methamphetamines, one firearm, nearly two pounds of non-commercial marijuana, alterants an individual could use to taint urinalysis testing, and illegal prescription drugs. 

“No matter what the amount of contraband we collect, the biggest win is knowing that we, alongside our partner agencies, deterred illegal activity on Alaska’s waterways including the use or shipment of illicit drugs,” said Lt.Cmdr. Bernard Auth, member of Coast Guard District 17 enforcement division. “We appreciate the continued support from our partner agencies in our fight against the opioid crisis.”

CGIS and the Alaska State Troopers are members of the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs Task Force.

Coast Guard units and partner agencies that participated:

• Coast Guard 17th District

• Alaska State Troopers

• Coast Guard Station Ketchikan

• Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick

• Ketchikan Police Department

• Coast Guard Sector Juneau

• Coast Guard Sector Anchorage

• Coast Guard Investigative Service

• Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team Seattle (91101)

• Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team San Francisco (91105)

• Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team Los Angeles/Long Beach (91103)

• Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team – West

• Coast Guard Base Kodiak

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

USCG
www.uscg.mil

 

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

SitNews ©2018
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.