The U.S. Coast Guard seized over five tons of narcotics, including four tons of cocaine valued at $64.5 million, during two interdictions in Caribbean international waters, officials announced Wednesday.
The 210-foot Reliance-class cutter Diligence was deployed to the Coast Guard’s Southeast district in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S).
“I am remarkably proud of the crew and appreciative of the efforts of JIATF-S and Coast Guard District Southeast,” said Cmdr. Colin McKee, commanding officer of the Diligence. “This joint effort helped us prevent more than four tons of illegal drugs from entering the United States. While this offload marks another milestone in our efforts to counter narco-terrorism, the Coast Guard remains relentless in our operations to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches.”
On August 7, Diligence intercepted a go-fast vessel 136 miles southwest of Negril, Jamaica, seizing 1,500 pounds of marijuana. The contraband was later transferred to the cutter Hamilton and offloaded in Port Everglades on August 25 as part of the largest drug offload in Coast Guard history.
On September 6, a patrol craft spotted a go-fast vessel 240 miles north of Panama. Diligence intercepted it, seizing over 8,700 pounds of cocaine, which was later offloaded in St. Petersburg and turned over to case agents.
“These drugs fuel and enable foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations to produce and traffic illegal fentanyl, threatening the United States,” the Coast Guard said. “Detecting and interdicting narco-terrorism on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination because 80% of U.S.-bound drugs are interdicted on the high seas.”
The Coast Guard said last week it has seized over 75,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific since launching Operation Pacific Viper in August, averaging 1,800 pounds a day.
With 80% of U.S. bound drugs interdicted at sea, narco-terrorists will try anything to traffic deadly drugs to the U.S. Low-Profile Vessels are purpose-built to smuggle illicit cargo. Alongside our allies and partners, @USCG detects, interdicts, and disrupts those operations,… pic.twitter.com/SEzbCgcRWY
— U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) September 21, 2025
