Freedom Interrupts Drug Delivery in Western Caribbean: "The littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Freedom (LCS 1) achieved its first drug seizure Feb. 22 when it disrupted a high-speed 'go-fast' vessel and recovered more than a quarter of a ton of cocaine.
Freedom, with embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, an LCS Surface Warfare Mission Package and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), was conducting counter-illicit trafficking (CIT) operations in U.S. 4th Fleet's Area of Responsibility when its crew located the vessel.
A MH-60S Sea Hawk from HSC 22 responded quickly and coordinated with Freedom and air assets from Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S) to provide location data on the surface target of interest.
Following interception by the MH-60S, the vessel jettisoned its illicit cargo in the western Caribbean Sea. The 'go-fast' subsequently entered Colombian waters, where the Colombian Navy took over the tracking and pursuit mission."
