A U.S. Coast Guard crew has seized more than 20,000 pounds of cocaine from a single vessel in the Eastern Pacific, marking the largest at-sea drug interdiction in nearly 18 years, officials announced.
The haul was made by the crew of the cutter Munro, based in Alameda, California, during counter-narcotics operations in the Eastern Pacific as part of Operation Pacific Viper, a Trump administration initiative aimed at disrupting the flow of illegal drugs across the Pacific Ocean.
According to the Coast Guard, video from the operation shows service members pursuing a “go-fast” vessel carrying several people. A helicopter crew first disabled the “non-compliant” boat, allowing the Munro to move in and seize the drugs.
The Coast Guard did not provide details about the individuals who appeared to be aboard the intercepted vessel or their current status.
In a social media post sharing a clip of the operation, the Coast Guard said its maritime forces are at the forefront of the nation’s drug interdiction efforts, “protecting the Homeland, and keeping deadly drugs out of American communities.”
Authorities have battled for years to stop maritime trafficking routes used to move cocaine and other drugs from Central and South America. The Trump administration has authorized lethal strikes on certain vessels, an approach that has killed dozens and sparked controversy. Critics have raised legal and ethical concerns, particularly after a second strike was carried out on survivors of an incident on September 2. The administration has defended the policy and its actions.
In a separate operation earlier this week, Colombian authorities announced they had seized more than seven tons of cocaine from boats in the Caribbean. The country’s navy said on social media that the drugs were valued at over $340 million, and in a separate statement reported that 11 people were taken into custody.
