The drug interdictions have resulted in more than $1.1 billion in revenues being denied for criminal groups.
More than 150,000 pounds of cocaine have been seized in the Eastern Pacific Ocean since the launch of Operation Pacific Viper, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said in a Dec. 9 statement.
Operation Pacific Viper, launched in early August, directs U.S. forces to the Eastern Pacific Region to counter criminal groups and cartels, essentially cutting off drug and human smuggling activities before they reach U.S. shores.
According to the Coast Guard, a dose of 1.2 grams of cocaine is enough to kill a person, with the seized quantity equating to more than 57 million potentially lethal doses.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said: “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 them.
“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.”
The Eastern Pacific Ocean continues to see significant drug shipments from South and Central America.
Under Operation Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard has deployed additional assets, such as tactical teams and aircraft, to interdict and seize the shipment of drugs. According to the USCG, 80 percent of all seizures of narcotic shipments bound for the United States take place at sea.
A major drug seizure under the operations took place on Dec. 2, when Coast Guard Cutter Munro seized more than 20,000 pounds of cocaine in a single interdiction. This was the “largest at-sea interdiction” conducted by the Coast Guard since March 2007.
In November, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter James carried out multiple seizures over several days, taking custody of 19,819 pounds of cocaine.
The drug interdictions have resulted in denying more than $1.1 billion in revenue for criminal organizations.
“By disrupting the flow of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs, the Coast Guard is cutting off revenue that fuels the ability for narco-terrorists to produce and traffic illegal fentanyl, threatening American communities,” the USCG stated.
