On August 20, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Operation Pacific Viper. In a statement on the DHS website, they announced the US Coast Guard would be assisting in the operation and Secretary Kristi Noem noted that the vast majority of drug seizures occur at sea.
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 it reaches 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 Secretary Kristi Noem. “As part of Operation Pacific Viper, 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.
Now Fox News has video of one such drug bust:
FIRST ON FOX: Coast Guard seizes over 5K lbs of cocaine and apprehends nearly 60 suspected narco-terrorists as part of its Operation Pacific Viper. pic.twitter.com/MVYFYQYkUe
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 18, 2025
This apprehension comes after the US bombed two Venezuelan drug boats -- one on September 2 and another on September 15. Those strikes came after the US deployed warships to the waters off the coast of Venezuela to fight Latin American drug cartels in late August.
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The Left and some Republicans whined about the strikes, demanding due process for the narco-terrorists, and Vice President Vance nuked the administration's critics.
In a September 18 press release, the Coast Guard noted the successes of Operation Pacific Viper:
The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday it has seized more than 75,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean since launching Operation Pacific Viper in early August, averaging over 1,800 pounds interdicted daily.
These drug seizures, and the apprehension of 59 individuals suspected of narco-trafficking, were the result of more than 20 interdictions since Aug. 8.
Through Operation Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard is accelerating counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, where significant transport of illicit narcotics continues from South America. In coordination with international and interagency partners, the Coast Guard is surging additional assets—cutters, aircraft and tactical teams—to interdict, seize and disrupt transshipments of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs. Operation Pacific Viper continues the Coast Guard’s efforts to protect the Homeland, counter narco-terrorism and disrupt Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Transnational Criminal Organizations and cartels seeking to produce and traffic illicit drugs into the United States.
“The Coast Guard’s maritime fighting force is relentless in our ongoing operations to counter narco-terrorism,” said Rear Adm. Jeffrey Novak, deputy commander Pacific Area. “Our latest milestone through Operation Pacific Viper – over 75,000 pounds of cocaine seized – underscores our commitment to dismantling Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Transnational Criminal Organizations engaged in narco-trafficking. The Coast Guard is bringing every authority and every capability at our disposal to disrupt cartels and criminal organizations, stop the flow of deadly drugs into the U.S., and secure U.S. borders and maritime approaches. While we continue our crucial work to defend America, I could not be prouder of the men and women of the Coast Guard in celebrating this milestone."
Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro accused President Trump of seeking "to intimidate and seek regime change" in his country. According to Fox News, the Trump administration "does not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state, and rather, views him as a leader of a drug cartel."
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
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