US Coast Guard offloads 11,500 pounds of seized cocaine worth $220 million in San Diego

US Coast Guard officials have offloaded some 11,500 pounds of seized cocaine worth $220 million in the city of San Diego, authorities said.

The drugs were confiscated in international waters off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America during the months of April and May. Following four interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by three Coast Guard ships, new reports quoted the US Coast Guard as saying a statement on Wednesday.

US law enforcement officials increased counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs on April 1, according to the Coast Guard.

A dozen people have been detained in connection with the interdictions and are awaiting federal charges, local media reported, citing officials.

The US Coast Guard and Navy personnel in San Diego offloaded tonnes of drugs confiscated from ocean-going smugglers several times in the past months.

"Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific are critical to targeting and prosecuting transnational criminals," said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman, who credited the efforts of the Coast Guard ships involved for preventing "the sale and future distribution of hundreds of thousands of pounds of cocaine each year."

(With inputs from agencies)