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5h ago

Coast Guard Touts 75,000-Pound Cocaine Seizure in Pacific Viper as New Video Shows 5,500-Pound Bust

Expanded patrols in the Eastern Pacific have prompted scrutiny over reported strikes, with charging outcomes for many detainees unclear.

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Overview

  • The Coast Guard said Thursday it has seized more than 75,000 pounds of cocaine since early August during Operation Pacific Viper, with 59 suspected traffickers apprehended across more than 20 interdictions.
  • Body-camera footage obtained by Fox News shows a September 10 boarding by a cutter Seneca unit northeast of the Galápagos that allegedly yielded 5,500 pounds of cocaine.
  • The DHS-led surge targets transshipment routes with Coast Guard and Navy assets working alongside international partners, deploying additional cutters, aircraft, and tactical teams.
  • Media reports this month describe two U.S. strikes on suspected Venezuelan drug boats on September 2 and September 15, drawing heightened diplomatic attention to the operation’s tactics.
  • A prior August 26 offload by cutter Hamilton included about 61,740 pounds of cocaine and 14,400 pounds of marijuana, while reporting notes that many detainees’ charging and prosecution statuses remain unresolved.