The crew of the USCGC Resolute offloaded approximately 2,570 pounds of cocaine worth over 19.3 million dollars at the Miami Beach Base yesterday, and transferred six alleged drug traffickers to federal authorities.
The drug was the result of three separate interdictions carried out in the Caribbean Sea by the crew of the USCGC Tahoma and that of the USS Billings, the latter with a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment onboard.
In the operation, the Tactical Helicopter Interdiction Squadron of the Coast Guard, the Southern Tactical Law Enforcement Team (LEDET 405), the Joint Interagency Task Force South, and surveillance officers from the Southeast District of the Coast Guard also participated.
The commander Ian Starr, officer in charge of the Resolute, emphasized the scope of the operation: "The success of these interdictions reflects the strength of our alliances and the perseverance of our crews. By intercepting these shipments at sea, we prevent dangerous drugs from reaching our communities and disrupt transnational criminal organizations."
The Coast Guard emphasizes that the cocaine seized in these operations funds cartels and criminal organizations that also produce and traffic illegal fentanyl into the United States.
The offloading of the Resolute occurs just a week after the Cutter Tampa offloaded 3,825 pounds of cocaine valued at $28.7 million, the result of two interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean during a 74-day patrol under Operation Pacific Viper.
This operation is part of an unprecedented streak of seizures by the U.S. Coast Guard.
In 2025, the institution set a historic record by seizing over 511,000 pounds of cocaine — more than three times its annual average — valued at over 3.8 billion dollars.
Since the launch of the Pacific Viper Operation in August 2025, under the administration of President Donald Trump, more than 215,000 pounds of cocaine have been seized and 160 alleged drug traffickers have been apprehended.
So far in 2026, operations in the Caribbean and the Atlantic have also recorded significant outcomes: in February, the Coast Guard offloaded in Port Everglades 17,750 pounds of cocaine valued at over 133.5 million dollars, resulting from interdictions carried out between January 25 and 31.
The Department of Homeland Security noted that the cocaine seized in recent operations is sufficient to kill more than 1.4 million Americans.
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