R 061843Z DEC 07 ZUI ASN-A00340000005 ZYB
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALLHANDS
INFO DHS COUNTERNARCOTICS ENFORCEMENT HQ WASHINGTON DC
DHS OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE WASHINGTON DC
DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
THE INTERDICTION COMMITTEE WASHINGTON DC
DIRJIATF SOUTH
SOUTHCOM IESS MIAMI FL
DIR ONDCP WASHINGTON DC
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
HQ BICE WASHINGTON DC
DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMIN HQ WASHINGTON DC
DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
DEA MIAMI FL
FBI WASHINGTON DC
NATIONAL DRUG INTELLIGENCE CENTER JOHNSTOWN PA
EPIC EL PASO TX
CNO WASHINGTON DC//N323//
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//DASD-CNCPGT//
DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC//CRM1/NDDS//
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5//
BT
UNCLAS //N01000//
SUBJ:  GUARDING OUR COASTS SINCE 1790
1.  TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE COAST GUARD:
TODAY MARKS ANOTHER MILESTONE IN OUR HISTORY.  THIS AFTERNOON I
JOINED DIRECTOR JOHN WALTERS, OF THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG
CONTROL POLICY AND MIKE BRAUN, CHIEF OF OPERATIONS AT THE DRUG
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE COAST GUARD SEIZED MORE
THAN 350,000 POUNDS OF COCAINE AT SEA THIS YEAR, WORTH AN ESTIMATED
STREET VALUE OF MORE THAN 4.7 BILLION DOLLARS.  THAT'S HALF OF OUR
ANNUAL BUDGET AND SURPASSES ALL OF OUR PREVIOUS RECORDS.
2.  OUR SUCCESS IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF EACH OF YOU DOING THE HARD
THINGS REQUIRED BY THOSE WHO "GUARD OUR COASTS."  EVERYDAY, COAST
GUARD MEN AND WOMEN EXECUTE THIS DANGEROUS MISSION HUNDREDS OF
MILES FROM OUR BORDERS, TO KEEP ILLEGAL DRUGS FROM REACHING OUR
SHORES WHERE THEY THREATEN OUR FAMILIES, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR
COMMUNITIES HERE AT HOME.
3.  WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR EFFORTS.  WE HAVE THE BEST INTER-AGENCY
COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG OUR FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTNERS, JOINT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE SOUTH, AND DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE COUNTERPARTS I HAVE SEEN IN MORE 35 YEARS IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT.  TOGETHER, WE ARE WORKING WITH 26 OTHER NATIONS IN AND
AROUND THE TRANSIT ZONE, SHARING INTELLIGENCE AND RAPIDLY DEPLOYING
INTERDICTION FORCES TO SEIZE MORE DRUGS THAN WE HAVE EVER BEFORE.
WHETHER SUSPECTED SMUGGLERS TRANSIT FAR OFFSHORE ON THE HIGH SEAS
TO AVOID DETECTION OR ATTEMPT TO SEEK REFUGE IN THE TERRITORIAL
WATERS OF COASTAL STATES, THEY ULTIMATELY CANNOT HIDE FROM THE
SIGHTS OF OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WHO SHARE IN OUR DETERMINATION
TO RID OURSELVES OF THIS TRANSNATIONAL THREAT TO OUR COLLECTIVE
SAFETY AND SECURITY.
4.  WHILE THE NUMBERS ARE IMPRESSIVE, THEY DON'T TELL THE WHOLE
STORY.  THE IMPACT OF THESE EFFORTS IS ALSO UNPRECEDENTED.  THIS IS
EVIDENCED BY THE REDUCED SUPPLY OF COCAINE IN MORE THAN 35 MAJOR
CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AS WELL AS THE GREAT LENGTHS
SMUGGLERS ARE RESORTING TO IN AN ATTEMPT TO EVADE DETECTION AND
INTERDICTION AT SEA.  WE HAVE SEEN THE SECRETION OF COCAINE INTO
LIQUID, THE EMPLOYMENT OF SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE VESSELS, AND THE USE OF
LESS TRAVELED, LENGTHIER ROUTES FAR INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
5.  IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE COAST GUARD HAS SEIZED MORE THAN 2
MILLION POUNDS OF COCAINE.  WITH INTERAGENCY TEAMWORK,
COLLABORATION WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, AND EVER-MORE
EFFECTIVE TOOLS AND TACTICS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN THE WEB OF
DETECTION AND INTERDICTION AT SEA, AS WE SECURE OUR MARITIME
BORDERS AND KEEP ILLEGAL DRUGS OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
6.  WE HAVE A 200+ YEAR LEGACY OF MARITIME LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
BORDER PROTECTION, WITH INNOVATION, DEDICATION AND SELFLESS SERVICE
AT THE FOUNDATION.  FROM THE 1793, WHEN DILIGENCE DROVE A PIRATE
SHIP ASHORE IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, TO THE DALLAS CAPTURING A SLAVE
SHIP OFF THE FLORIDA COAST IN 1820, TO OUR FIRST MARITIME OPIUM
SEIZURE IN THE STRAITS OF JUAN DE FUCA IN 1890, THE COAST GUARD HAS
DEMONSTRATED THE COURAGE OF OUR CONVICTIONS, PROTECTING THE NATION
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
7.  MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, YOUR EFFORTS ARE MAKING AN IMPACT.
WHETHER YOU ARE OUT THERE RESPONDING TO OIL SPILLS, CONDUCTING
FISHERIES PATROLS, OR STOPPING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS AND ILLICIT DRUGS
FROM MAKING IT TO OUR SHORES, YOU MAKE AMERICA A SAFER PLACE TO
LIVE EVERY SINGLE DAY.  YOU DEMONSTRATE THE HONOR, RESPECT AND
DEVOTION TO DUTY THAT ENSURES AMERICA'S PARENTS CAN SLEEP A LITTLE
MORE SOUNDLY KNOWING THE COAST GUARD IS ON PATROL.
8.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
9.  ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN SENDS.
BT