The Nation - News from Dec. 9, 1988
The commander of the Coast Guard said that because of a woefully inadequate cocaine detection system, only about 5% to 7% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States by air is seized by his troops. “The air interdiction success rate is much lower than I want, than I expect, and frankly that the country can afford,” said Adm. Paul Yost. Yost noted that more radar-equipped planes, ships and balloons have been approved by Congress, but they are not going to be available for another 18 months. At that point, Yost said, he may ask Congress for additional help, such as equipping some Coast Guard C-130 planes with radar able to spot an aircraft from as far as 250 miles away.
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