The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday offloaded nearly $30 million worth of cocaine, enough to kill over a million Americans.
The Trump administration’s Operation Pacific Viper to conduct operations against drug runners in the eastern Pacific Ocean has significantly restricted a key narcotics maritime corridor for criminals in Central and South America. The Coast Guard stepped up its aircraft and vessel presence in the Eastern Pacific in order to target the deadly illegal drug trade.
The announcement about the recent seizure and elimination of the gargantuan cocaine shipment came in an April 16 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release. The cutter Tampa’s commander, Joshua DiPietro, boasted, “This crew's performance over the last 74 days has been nothing short of phenomenal.”
He explained why. “From qualifying several pilots, tie downs, Landing Safety Officers, and Helicopter Control Officers for aviation operations at the start of the patrol to seizing nearly $45 million in illicit narcotics, their teamwork during complex operations was truly impressive,” DiPietro stated. “They met every challenge head-on, working seamlessly with our partner agencies and international allies to disrupt transnational criminal organizations.”
The latest 3,825 pounds of cocaine were worth $28.7+ million. Fortunately, the Coast Guard offloaded it all. If the drugs had made it into our country, they could have killed over 1.4 million people.
For Our VIPs: Pope Leo’s Predecessor Built Vatican Walls After Islamic Sack
The Coast Guard is among the many DHS subsidiaries that lacked funding during the lengthy Democrat-induced shutdowns in late 2025 and early 2026. Supposedly, redirected funding is finally kickstarting paychecks to the DHS employees who couldn’t pay their bills for weeks, according to the Federal News Network. But DHS employees never shut down their vital work despite Democrats denying them paychecks.
The DHS press release bragged about the success of anti-narcoterrorist efforts under the Trump administration:
Recent operations have highlighted the effectiveness of this approach, including record-setting interdictions. In February, the Coast Guard marked a significant achievement by seizing 200,000 pounds of cocaine, underscoring the sustained effectiveness of Operation Pacific Viper. Since launching this operation in early August, the Coast Guard has seized over 215,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehended 160 suspected narco-traffickers. The Coast Guard’s persistent operations and rapid response have denied criminal organizations billions in illicit revenue and prevented the flow of dangerous drugs into American communities.
In fact, 80% of U.S.-bound drug interdictions happen at sea, according to DHS. The U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South, which is based in Key West, monitors the progress of illegal drugs toward the USA and then sends law enforcement at the key moment. That's when the Coast Guard takes charge.
Under the Biden administration, the federal government's policies helped narcoterrorists' trade. Under the Trump administration, that is all reversed.
Editor's Note: Do you enjoy PJ Media's conservative reporting on the woke left and immigration enforcement? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member