Senator Ron Johnson tours U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Senator Ron Johnson toured the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba.

The ship is on the Great Lakes this summer and stopped in Milwaukee for the weekend.

It is based in Boston and is used to intercept drugs coming into the US from South and Central America.

"Recent operation bagged about 552,000 pounds of cocaine. Street value is $729 million dollars. That's money that's not in the hands of the drug cartels and the most evil people on the planet so these folks do great work and I just want to thank them for their service," said Sen. Ron Johnson.

From here, the ship will head north to Sturgeon Bay in Door County to be a part of the city's annual Maritime Week celebration.