The United States Coast Guard (USCG) announced the successful interdiction of 100,000 pounds of cocaine through Operation Pacific Viper, a months-long international effort targeting transnational criminal organizations operating in the Eastern Pacific. The operation, launched as part of a surge in Coast Guard enforcement, aims to prevent drug and human smuggling operations from reaching U.S. shores. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Operation Pacific Viper has averaged about 1,600 pounds of cocaine interdicted daily, resulting in 34 total interdictions since its launch.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hailed the operation as a critical step in countering foreign drug traffickers and cartels in Latin America, emphasizing the importance of disrupting their illegal networks. “Operation Pacific Viper has proven to be a crucial weapon in the fight against foreign drug traffickers and cartels in Latin America and has sent a clear message that we will disrupt, dismantle, and destroy their deadly business exploits wherever we find it,” Noem stated. “In cutting off the flow of these deadly drugs, the Coast Guard is saving countless American lives and delivering on President Trump’s promise to Make America Safe Again and reestablish our maritime dominance.”
In August, Operation Pacific Viper yielded the Coast Guard’s largest-ever drug offload, when the USCGC Hamilton offloaded more than 76,000 pounds of illegal drugs, valued at $473 million, at Port Everglades—including approximately 61,740 pounds of cocaine and 14,400 pounds of marijuana. These seizures represent a significant portion of the annual narcotics trade, which experts estimate to involve 3,000 to 4,000 tons of cocaine passing through the Pacific routes each year.
To better understand the scope of the cocaine trade and its implications for national security, Fox News Digital consulted Spencer Coursen, a threat management specialist and former U.S. Army Ranger and Special Deputy Marshal. Coursen explained that most cocaine bound for the U.S. originates along Colombia’s Pacific coast, with routes often passing through Ecuador, Peru, or Venezuela before moving north via the Caribbean, Mexico, or increasingly the Pacific corridor.
As law enforcement efforts tightened along traditional routes, cartels shifted operations westward, taking advantage of the vastness of the Pacific to evade detection. “They’re not street gangs,” Coursen said. “They’re global logistics enterprises that rival Amazon, vertically integrated from jungle production to port distribution. They have infrastructure, surveillance, counter-surveillance, and billions in cash and weapons to protect their routes.”
Coursen noted that while the operation’s success highlights the Coast Guard’s vigilance, it also gives a glimpse into the sheer scale and sophistication of the narcotics trade. “Every win is great,” he said. “But every win is also an insight into just how much cocaine is being moved. The most recent estimates show 3,000 to 4,000 tons a year—about six million pounds. So even massive interdictions like this are only scratching the surface.”
He further warned that despite major seizures like Operation Pacific Viper, cartels’ vast resources allow them to absorb losses and continue operations. “If nine out of 10 shipments are seized, they’re still making a profit,” he said. “Each one is insured by scale. To them, it’s a tariff—just the cost of doing business.”
Coursen emphasized that the U.S. remains the largest consumer of cocaine globally, accounting for an estimated 40% of worldwide demand. While Operation Pacific Viper has achieved significant results, he pointed out that interdiction alone will not solve the issue. “It’s an enormous challenge,” he said. “But every interdiction is a win for national security, and for the men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to make it happen.”