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to end of pageBy Ensign M.W. Noland, USS Stephen W. Groves Public
Affairs
December 9, 2003, Eastern Pacific, (NNS) -- After a short chase starting in the pre-dawn hours, USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29) captured another high-speed boat specifically built for smuggling drugs.
It was her second such bust in recent weeks in the Eastern Pacific, which resulted in the detention of five suspects and the disruption of 1.5 tons of cocaine from reaching its final destination.
Off the western coast of South America, Groves was on patrol when crewmembers detected a fast-moving contact. The watch team lost little time in commencing a chase, which would last throughout the morning.
"Given our experience, when we see a vessel moving that fast in these waters, we know it's time to get to work," said Lt. Steve Johnson, Groves' navigation officer.
Continuing to act in a successful joint operation, the Groves' crew worked alongside with members of Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 201 in the prosecution of the vessel, laden with more than 50 bales of contraband. The bust resulted in the apprehension and detainment of the vessel's five-man crew and prevented more than $25 million worth of cocaine from reaching American shores.
"Our primary mission is to impede the flow of drugs. Every bust that we make is a victory that prevents cocaine from reaching our streets in America and keeps money from potential terrorists," commented Groves' combat systems officer, Lt. William Rayburn.
Groves got underway for her six-month counter-drug operations deployment to the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command area of responsibility Sept. 25. While deployed, Groves' crew works with other assets from Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) South, the agency responsible for counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific.
Homeported in Pascagoula, Miss., Groves is a Commander, Naval Surface Group (CNSG) 2 ship, assigned to Commander, Destroyer Squadron 6. During the ship's deployment, the crew will be patrolling nearly 4 million square nautical miles of water in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
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