Coast Guard Captain Honored for Leadership in Major Drug Interdiction Efforts

Port Everglades, FL — Captain Jonathan Carter has been formally recognized for his exemplary leadership as commanding officer of the USCGC Stone, following a series of highly successful drug interdiction operations that resulted in the seizure of more than $517 million worth of narcotics in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

During Captain Carter’s tenure, the crew of the USCGC Stone offloaded approximately 45,600 pounds of illicit narcotics, including cocaine and marijuana, at Port Everglades. These seizures stemmed from 14 separate interdictions in international waters, leading to the arrest and transfer of 35 suspected smugglers for prosecution in U.S. courts.

The operations, conducted primarily off the coast of Ecuador—a key transit point for South American cocaine shipments—involved close cooperation with international partners and other U.S. agencies. In one notable incident, the Stone’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) aircrew and boarding team intercepted four high-speed “go-fast” vessels within just 15 minutes, seizing nearly 11,000 pounds of cocaine and arresting eight suspects.

Captain Carter praised his crew’s dedication, stating, “I’m incredibly proud of our crew’s performance and their efforts to combat narco-terrorism this deployment. In one exceptional case, the crew interdicted four go-fast vessels in 15 minutes, seizing nearly 11,000 pounds of cocaine that will never be mixed with deadly fentanyl to threaten American lives here at home”.

The interdiction efforts also included coordinated actions with the USCGC Mohawk and regional partners such as Costa Rica, further strengthening international maritime security and disrupting transnational criminal organizations.

Following this successful deployment, Captain Anne E. O’Connell has assumed command of the USCGC Stone, as the vessel continues its critical mission to safeguard U.S. and international waters from illicit trafficking.