U.S. Coast Guard Seizes 13,000 Pounds of Cocaine, Destroys Drug Boat in Pacific Operation

U.S. Coast Guard Seizes 13,000 Pounds of Cocaine, Destroys Drug Boat in Pacific Operation

The U.S. Coast Guard has intercepted and destroyed a drug-smuggling vessel as part of Operation Pacific Viper, seizing nearly 13,000 pounds of cocaine and detaining seven suspected traffickers.

Officials confirmed that the interdictions occurred overnight when the Coast Guard Cutter Stone engaged multiple boats in known narcotrafficking routes in the eastern Pacific. In a single night, crews carried out three separate operations, culminating in the destruction of one vessel loaded with narcotics.

The cocaine haul, valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, is one of the largest maritime drug seizures this year. Authorities said the suspected smugglers remain in custody and are expected to face prosecution in U.S. courts.

“Operations like this demonstrate our ability to disrupt dangerous transnational criminal networks before their product ever reaches American communities,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said Tuesday.

The mission comes amid intensified U.S. efforts to curb narcotrafficking in the Pacific, where cartels frequently use “go-fast” boats and low-profile vessels to evade detection. The Coast Guard has increasingly relied on intelligence-sharing with allied nations and advanced surveillance technology to target suspected smuggling routes.

Operation Pacific Viper represents a multi-agency strategy to cut off maritime drug pipelines that fuel organized crime and violence across the Americas.

Officials praised the Cutter Stone’s crew for their role in executing the triple interdiction. “Every pound seized is a blow to cartel profits,” the spokesperson added.