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September 13, 1999
Web posted at: 2:27 p.m. EDT (1827 GMT)

In this story: 'They were defying federal enforcement' RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Stepping up its armed pursuit of drug smugglers on the high seas, the Coast Guard disclosed Monday that it now uses sharpshooters firing from helicopters to disable high-speed vessels bringing narcotics into the United States.

The previously classified policy is part of an anti-drug strategy called Operation New Frontier that in the past year has netted a record 53 tons of cocaine.

Of that amount, six tons were seized -- and 13 suspected smugglers were arrested -- as a result of shots fired on high-speed smuggling vessels, known as "fast boats" or "go boats." Coast Guard and Clinton administration officials gave details outside Transportation Department headquarters, with one of the helicopters as a backdrop.

"Our goal was, and remains, to stop these boats without having to resort to warning shots or disabling fire," Coast Guard Commandant Adm. James Loy said at a news conference with Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater and White House drug-control adviser Barry McCaffrey.

"But," Loy added, "we can now do so effectively and when necessary so as to make certain that we get these vessels to stop."

McCaffrey announces the results of the drug eradication effort

"We have always used a full range of options (including force) from our ships," Loy said. "What's new here is that this force is now available to us from these special helicopters."

Loy said the sharpshooters pose no risk to fishermen or pleasure boaters in the Caribbean, where helicopters have stopped three boats in the last month.

The operation uses MH90 Enforcer helicopters leased commercially and specially equipped by the Coast Guard. Crews use nonlethal force to warn the boats and, if necessary, disable their engines with gunfire.

"The go-fast boats became the principal way of moving drugs to the America by sea," McCaffrey said. "They were defying federal enforcement."

"We have made the drug criminals afraid. We will now make them disappear," McCaffrey promised, "and this is only beginning of it."

Slater estimated the street value of cocaine confiscated since September 30 of last year represented "a street value worth more than $3.73 billion and nearly 481 million doses."

Coast Guard officials declined to give many details of the latest interdiction strategy, but said they are targeting the nearly 400 "go-fast" boats used each year by smugglers carrying cocaine and other drugs, mostly from Colombia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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