Lives saved by getting narcotics off the streets-- that's what Navy leaders recognized it's brave sailors for on Friday.
U.S. Navy Admiral Craig Faller gave an update from Naval Station Mayport around 10 a.m. regarding the U.S. Southern Command’s security cooperation with regional partners.
The operation was aimed at countering threats and security challenges in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
Two guided-missile destroyers, the USS Lassen and USS Farragut recently returned from a nine-month deployment. On it, the Lassen seized almost 600 pounds of cocaine.
"A $90 billion a year enterprise, these narco-terrorists, these transnational criminal organizations," said Faller. "And these ships put the pressure on them and they took drugs off the streets and they save lives."
While visiting the naval station, the admiral met with sailors recently returned from supporting enhanced counter-narcotics operations announced April 1 by U.S. President Donald Trump.
To date, the U.S. Southern Command along with their partners have seized 56,221 kilograms of cocaine and 12,939 pounds of marijuana.
As for the COVID-19 pandemic and the Navy, this week two ships broke the 160-day record for consecutive days at sea for U.S. naval surface vessels.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower USS San Jacinto are still on the water to avoid coronavirus exposure.