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On Easter Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard executed a significant drug bust, confiscating over 4,500 pounds of cocaine from a vessel they suspect to be involved in narco-terrorism. The street value of this seizure is estimated to be nearly $34 million, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The operation began when a maritime patrol aircraft spotted the crew of the suspicious craft discarding contraband into the ocean. This prompted the Coast Guard cutter Escanaba to spring into action off the coast of Manta, Ecuador.
In response, the Coast Guard deployed an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew to investigate further. The Escanaba’s crew also launched a cutter pursuit boat, successfully retrieving more than 4,510 pounds of cocaine from the sea.
The operation highlights the ongoing efforts of the Coast Guard to intercept vessels linked to narco-terrorism and prevent illegal drugs from reaching U.S. shores. The seizure not only reflects the Coast Guard’s vigilance but also underscores the continuous battle against drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.
Coast Guard crews intercepted a suspected narco-terrorist vessel and seized thousands of pounds of cocaine, officials said. (Department of Homeland Security)
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the recovery was part of Operation Pacific Viper, a Coast Guard counter-drug operation launched in August 2025 in the Eastern Pacific.
“Operation Pacific Viper plays a central part of President Trump’s fight against the cartels at sea, cutting off their ability to make money by trafficking their poison into our country,” Mullin said in a statement. “This operation has already seized over 215,000 pounds of cocaine and has arrested over 160 suspected narco-traffickers.”
U.S. Coast Guard crews display seized cocaine following a counter-drug operation in the Eastern Pacific, officials said. (Department of Homeland Security)
He added, “The brave men and women of the Coast Guard are saving American lives by keeping these deadly drugs out of our communities and off our streets.”
The U.S. Coast Guard seized more than 4,500 pounds of cocaine from a suspected narco-terrorist vessel in the Eastern Pacific, officials said. (Department of Homeland Security)
DHS said the Coast Guard’s efforts to disrupt drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific are a key part of the Trump administration’s initiative to combat narco-terrorism and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
Through Operation Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard has seized more than 215,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehended more than 160 suspected narco-traffickers, according to DHS.
The U.S. Coast Guard seized cocaine valued at nearly $34 million during an operation in the Eastern Pacific, officials said. (U.S. Coast Guard)
According to DHS, the operation included the Coast Guard’s largest drug seizure in its history, when it recovered more than 76,000 pounds of illegal drugs in August 2025, valued at $473 million. The total reflects multiple interdictions combined into a single offload.
The Coast Guard also seized nearly 50,000 pounds of illicit drugs in November 2025, valued at $362 million — one of the largest totals attributed to a Coast Guard cutter from multiple interdictions, according to DHS.
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