The U.S. Coast Guard has seized more than 100,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in the past two months, the agency said Tuesday, inlcuding narcotics from a suspected drug smuggling boat that was seen capsized in the sea.
The Coast Guard said it has intercepted 34 ships and taken 86 people into custody. The agency has seized an average of 1,600 pounds of cocaine a day, it said. Photos in a news release show multiple seizures, including one that ended with bales of cocaine in the ocean.
The actions are part of Operation Pacific Viper, which accelerated counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The Coast Guard has worked with international partners and sent additional assets, including ships, aircraft and tactical teams, to seize boats carrying drugs from Central and South America.
Rear Adm. Jeffrey Novak, deputy commander of U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, called the seizures “a remarkable achievement” in the news release.
“When we say the Coast Guard is accelerating counter-narcotics operations, we mean it. Alongside our partners and allies, our maritime fighting force is scouring drug smuggling routes in the Eastern Pacific and dismantling narco-terrorist networks,” Novak said. “We are complementing the Coast Guard’s unique law enforcement authorities with cutting-edge capabilities to stop the flow of deadly drugs that threaten U.S. communities. As we mark our interdiction of 100,000 pounds, we are already working towards the next milestone.”
The operations have included the seizure of 8,700 pounds of cocaine from a boat traveling from Panama in early September. Many of the drugs have been offloaded by the Coast Guard in record-breaking amounts in recent weeks. In some instances, the Coast Guard sets the boats transporting the drugs on fire after seizing the narcotics and taking the vessel’s occupants into custody. The Coast Guard told CBS News in September that this practice is meant to keep the boats from becoming a hazard to other sailors.
The U.S. has also carried out several drone strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs. The fifth and most recent strike was carried out on Tuesday, the same day the Coast Guard announced the drug seizure milestone. Six people aboard the boat were killed, according to a post from President Trump on Truth Social. In total, 27 people have been killed in the strikes, according to figures released by the Trump administration.
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