Home / Crime and Justice / Navy Seizes $28.7M Cocaine Haul in Pacific
Navy Seizes $28.7M Cocaine Haul in Pacific
17 Apr
Summary
- Nearly 4,000 pounds of cocaine worth over $28 million seized.
- Drugs were intercepted during two operations in the Eastern Pacific.
- Operation targets drug trafficking routes from South America to the U.S.
The U.S. Coast Guard successfully intercepted and offloaded approximately 3,825 pounds of cocaine in Miami Beach, with an estimated value exceeding $28.7 million. This substantial seizure is enough to cause over 1.4 million fatalities.
These drugs were confiscated during two separate interdictions conducted in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. These actions were part of Operation Pacific Viper, a coordinated multi-agency initiative designed to dismantle narcotics trafficking routes that extend from Central and South America into the United States.
Coast Guard officials highlighted that the Eastern Pacific remains a primary corridor for transnational criminal organizations moving cocaine northward. Since the operation's commencement in early August 2025, crews have collectively seized over 215,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehended 160 individuals suspected of trafficking.
Approximately 80% of drug interdictions targeting the U.S. occur at sea, emphasizing the vital role of the Coast Guard in disrupting these shipments before they reach American shores. U.S. Southern Command's Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West leads detection and monitoring operations, with the Coast Guard managing the law enforcement phase.
