US Coast Guard seizes 10 tons of cocaine in largest haul since 2005 after ‘disabling fire’ stops cartel fast boats
Story by Shay Johnson • 4h
In the wide Eastern Pacific Ocean, where fast speedboats loaded with cocaine race through international waters, U.S. Coast Guard planes fired warning shots and then aimed at boat engines to stop three vessels that would not pull over. This action was part of Operation Pacific Viper, which resulted in the seizure of 27,000 pounds of drugs and 12 arrests. The operation shows the Coast Guard's strong effort to block cartel smuggling paths.
Launched in August 2025, Operation Pacific Viper sent out Coast Guard cutters, aircraft, and special teams to cut off cocaine shipments from Central and South America heading to the United States. The Eastern Pacific is the world's most active route for drugs carried by sea, and the cutters have been seizing tons of cocaine on each patrol.
Since it started, the operation has captured more than 150,000 pounds of drugs, which accounts for about 80% of the narcotics heading to the U.S. by water. These seizures have cost the cartels over $1.1 billion in lost money, funds they use to support other crimes. The Coast Guard uses long-standing legal powers for these stops: aircraft give warnings first, followed by accurate shots at engines, but never at people, to make the boats stop safely.
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