The Coast Guard seized a record 40,000 pounds of cocaine in the eastern Pacific during a monthlong surge under Operation Pacific Viper, releasing dramatic images of crews watching a burning vessel.
Since Aug. 8, the Coast Guard has made over a dozen busts, arresting 36 suspected smugglers and averaging 1,600 pounds of cocaine seized per day, crediting coordination among cutters, aircraft, and tactical teams. Officials did not confirm what caused the vessel’s fire.
“We are leveraging our full range of capabilities to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and cartels and prevent the scourge of illicit drugs from reaching our communities,” said Coast Guard Rear Adm. Douglas Schofield, acting deputy commandant for operations.
Alongside the 40,000-pound bust, the Coast Guard cutter Hamilton offloaded a record 76,140 pounds of cocaine and marijuana at Port Everglades, Florida. The seizures stemmed from 19 interdictions in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean, part of a broader effort to block South American drug shipments to the U.S.
The Trump administration moved to counter transnational crime by designating select cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
Leading America’s drug interdictions, owning the sea!
Since launching Operation Pacific Viper, @USCG has interdicted 40K+ pounds of cocaine and apprehended 36 suspected smugglers. Alongside partners and allies, our maritime fighting force is surging to the Eastern Pacific,… pic.twitter.com/jXDaXm60Yc
— U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) September 4, 2025
