Coast Guard breaks 18-year-old record with 20,000-pound cocaine seizure

This week, a U.S. Coast Guard vessel captured over 20,000 pounds of cocaine from a single ship, marking the largest maritime drug seizure in nearly two decades, officials reported.

The Munro, a cutter based in Alameda, California, and patrolling the Pacific, conducted the operation as part of ongoing counter-narcotics efforts in the Eastern Pacific. This action was executed under Operation Pacific Viper, a program aimed at halting the trafficking of illegal drugs across the Pacific Ocean.

Footage from the operation shows Coast Guard units chasing a high-speed vessel with multiple individuals on board. A helicopter crew disabled the non-compliant ship, after which the Munro arrived to secure the narcotics.

The Coast Guard has not disclosed the fate of those aboard the intercepted vessel.

"Our maritime forces are at the forefront of America's drug interdiction mission, safeguarding the homeland and keeping dangerous drugs out of communities," the agency stated alongside a video of the operation.

The historic seizure of more than 20,000 pounds of cocaine highlights the intensified counter-narcotics efforts of Operation Pacific Viper and represents the most substantial at-sea interdiction in over 18 years.

Authorities have long focused on intercepting drug shipments from Central and South America. Previous operations under the Trump administration involved lethal strikes on some vessels, generating debate over their legality. The administration defended these actions, even after a controversial strike in September targeting survivors of a previous incident.

Meanwhile, Colombian authorities reported seizing more than 7 tons of cocaine from Caribbean boats earlier this week, valued at over $340 million, with 11 arrests made, according to the Colombian navy.

Author: Ava Mitchell