U.S. Coast Guard Takes On Drug Cartels And Human Smugglers

The Coast Guard’s surge to the Eastern Pacific is intercepting deadly drugs and illegal aliens before they reach American shores

by Soraya Alcalá 08/20/2025

written by Soraya Alcalá 08/20/2025

WASHINGTON – This week, the United States Coast Guard launched Operation Pacific Viper: a surge in forces to the Eastern Pacific to stop the cartels and criminal organizations – cutting off drugs and human smuggling before they reach American shores.

Since launching Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard has hunted down, interdicted, and boarded several illegal vessels, seizing thousands of pounds of drugs and detaining several smugglers.

“80% of illicit drug seizures occur at sea. The U.S. Coast Guard is surging maritime interdictions in the Eastern Pacific to stop the cartels and criminal organizations— cutting off drugs and human smuggling before it reaches American shores,” said Sec. Kristi Noem. “As part of Operation Pacific Viper, this weekend alone, USCGC Stone interdicted 2 vessels — seizing 3,497 kilograms of cocaine and detaining 6 Ecuadorian smugglers. MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!”

The Coast Guard has also interdicted multiple other drug smuggling boats across the Eastern Pacific. Thus far, it has seized over 13,000 pounds of cocaine and arrested 11 suspected drug smugglers.

On August 8th USCG Cutter Hamilton interdicted a drug smuggling vessel south of Mexico, seizing three detainees along with over 4,000 pounds of cocaine.

USCGC Hamilton conducts interdiction of drug smuggling Mexico on August 8th, 2025.

On August 11th a Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) onboard the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Sampson interdicted a drug smuggling boat south of Mexico. The suspected traffickers tried to dump their cargo and flee. The LEDET fired upon the vessel’s engine from a helicopter, disabling it. Two suspected smugglers were detained along with over 1,300 pounds of cocaine.

Sailors abord the USS Sampson transfer interdicted contraband onto the boat deck during the maritime interdiction operation in the Eastern Pacific. Image courtesy of the United States Navy.

On August 16th, the USCG Cutter Stone interdicted a smuggling vessel south of the Galapagos Islands. Service members disabled the vessel by shooting its engine out from a helicopter. The Coast Guard detained three suspected drug smugglers and seized over 3,500 pounds of cocaine.
On August 17th, USCG Cutter Stone carried out another interdiction, disabling the vessel’s engine with fire from a helicopter and detaining three suspected drug smugglers and seizing over 4,000 pounds of cocaine.
On August 19th, USCGC Stone interdicted a suspected drug smuggling vessel, seizing nearly 3,000 pounds of cocaine. On the same day, a boat launched from the USCGC Venturous seized over 750 pounds of cocaine that was jettisoned by a target of interest.