Signet-Thunder Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a significant operation on January 28, 2026, the Coast Guard Station San Juan and the Sector San Juan Boarding Team, in collaboration with the Homeland Security Task Force - San Juan Region, successfully apprehended a stowaway smuggler and seized a staggering ten bales of cocaine in San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico. The confiscated drugs, weighing a total of 358 kilograms, have an estimated wholesale value exceeding $5 million, highlighting the severity of the drug trafficking issue in the region. The operation unfolded around 5:48 a.m. when the tugboat 'Signet Thunder,' towing the barge 'San Juan-JaxBridge' to the Old Army Terminal, made a VHF Channel 16 distress call. The crew reported that a member from an assist tug had boarded the barge and discovered a stowaway. Prompted by the urgent situation, the coast guard watchstanders initiated a swift response, launching a vessel from Station San Juan and notifying Customs and Border Protection’s Caribbean Air and Marine Branch and the Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine units to offer assistance. As part of their coordinated effort, the watchstanders issued a Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB) to alert other vessels in the area to remain vigilant for the situation. Not long after, the San Juan boat crew successfully located and recovered the stowaway along with the ten bales of suspected contraband from the waters. A thorough inspection of the 'Signet Thunder' and the accompanying barge revealed no additional stowaways or illegal cargo. The apprehended individual, now facing federal drug trafficking charges, along with the seized cocaine, was transferred to the law enforcement partners of the Homeland Security Task Force at Coast Guard Base San Juan, Puerto Rico. This operation underscores the ongoing commitment of law enforcement agencies in the region to combat drug smuggling and enhance maritime safety. For more details and visuals, visit the full report: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4400036/coast-guard-cbp-homeland-security-task-force-partner-agencies-apprehend-stowawa/