Coast Guard seizes over 100,000 pounds of cocaine in Pacific Ocean crackdown

The ongoing mission, dubbed Operation Pacific Viper, has resulted in the Coast Guard intercepting an average of 1,600 pounds of cocaine per day. The purpose of the mission was to stop drugs before they reach American shores. In total, the Coast Guard has confiscated more than 100,000 pounds of illegal drugs since early August and arrested 86 individuals suspected of narcotics trafficking, per the Daily Mail.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the operation has seen the Coast Guard’s largest-ever drug offload in history. In August, the US Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloaded more than 76,000 pounds of illegal drugs, including about 61,740 pounds of cocaine and 14,400 pounds of marijuana, at Port Everglades. The total value of the seized drugs was estimated at $473 million.

“The Coast Guard’s seizure of over 100,000 pounds of cocaine, in such a short timeframe, is a remarkable achievement,” said Rear Adm. Jeffrey Novak, deputy commander of US Coast Guard Pacific Area. “When we say the Coast Guard is accelerating counter-narcotics operations, we mean it. Alongside our partners and allies, our maritime fighting force is scouring drug smuggling routes in the Eastern Pacific and dismantling narco-terrorist networks. We are complementing the Coast Guard’s unique law enforcement authorities with cutting-edge capabilities to stop the flow of deadly drugs that threaten U.S. communities. As we mark our interdiction of 100,000 pounds, we are already working towards the next milestone."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised the operation, calling it a “crucial weapon in the fight against foreign drug traffickers and cartels in Latin America.” Noem added, “In cutting off the flow of these deadly drugs, the Coast Guard is saving countless American lives and delivering on President Trump's promise to Make America Safe Again and reestablish our maritime dominance.”