The interception was conducted as part of Operation Pacific Viper, under which authorities have interdicted more than 200,000 pounds of cocaine.
About 17,600 pounds of cocaine were taken into custody from a drug smuggling vessel, a quantity large enough to make more than 6 million potentially lethal doses, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) said in a March 13 post on X.
“The crew of #USCG Cutter Forward, with an embarked Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) team, interdicted a drug-smuggling self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in the Eastern Pacific,” the post said. “The SPSS sank after its four crew were apprehended.”
The interception was conducted by Cutter Forward on Feb. 24 in the Eastern Pacific Ocean while on routine patrol, the USCG said in a March 11 statement.
“SPSS vessels are commonly used by maritime criminal networks to transport large quantities of drugs in the Eastern Pacific. The Coast Guard routinely interdicts these vessels as part of ongoing counterdrug operations in the region,” the Coast Guard said.
The drug vessel was initially detected by a maritime patrol, and the Forward crew deployed its pursuit boat and an MH-65 aircraft from HITRON to intercept it.
The boarding team issued several orders to the individuals navigating the drug vessel. When the commands were dismissed, the team entered the vessel and apprehended the suspected narco-terrorists, and the SPSS sank after becoming flooded.
“Stopping this vessel demonstrates the exceptional skill and dedication of the Forward crew, the HITRON, Joint Interagency Task Force South, and Coast Guard District Southwest at imposing significant costs on transnational crime organizations,” said Commander Andrew Grantham, commanding officer of the Forward.
In its post, USCG said that the interdiction was linked to Operation Pacific Viper. The operation directs U.S. forces to the Eastern Pacific Region to counter criminal and cartel groups, aiming to essentially cut off drug and human smuggling activities before they reach American shores.
In August 2025, Kristi Noem, then-homeland security secretary, said that 80 percent of illegal drug seizures occur at sea, highlighting the importance of Coast Guard operations in preventing drugs from flowing into the United States.
In a March 11 post on X, USCG reported that its Cutter Tampa had interdicted a vessel in the Eastern Pacific as part of Operation Pacific Viper, seizing 1,925 kilograms of cocaine valued at an estimated $31.9 million.
“Since launching Operation Pacific Viper in early August, we’ve interdicted over 200K lbs of cocaine,“ the Coast Guard stated. ”As significant transport of illicit narcotics continues from South and Central America, our maritime fighting force remains focused on countering narco-terrorism and protecting the homeland.”
