Washington, May 20 (IANS) US Coast Guard officials have offloaded some 5,216 kg of seized cocaine worth $220 million in the city of San Diego, authorities said.

The drugs were seized in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean during April and May, following four interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America by three Coast Guard ships, Xinhua news agency quoted the US Coast Guard as saying a statement on Wednesday.

US law enforcement officials increased counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs on April 1, according to the Coast Guard.

A dozen people have been detained in connection with the interdictions and are awaiting federal charges, local media reported, citing officials.

The US Coast Guard and Navy personnel in San Diego offloaded tonnes of drugs confiscated from ocean-going smugglers several times in the past months.

--IANS ksk/