Overview
- Cutter Stone offloaded about 49,010 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $362 million, the largest single-cutter seizure in a single patrol in Coast Guard history.
- The contraband came from 15 interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific during an Operation Pacific Viper deployment.
- A new Shield AI MQ-35 V-BAT drone aboard Stone helped spot multiple targets, enabling three interdictions in one night and supporting persistent surveillance.
- Interdictions involved HITRON aircrews, JIATF–South and Coast Guard district watchstanders, with officials saying most of the cocaine originated in Colombia and Ecuador and detainees transferred for prosecution.
- U.S. agencies report record fiscal 2025 seizures and a 30%–45% rise in cocaine prices at early stops, as the administration cites 21 lethal strikes on suspected drug boats that have drawn calls for proof even as the Coast Guard reports steady flow patterns.