WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new U.S. Coast Guard initiative, dubbed "Operation Pacific Viper," has seized more than 75,000 pounds of cocaine and led to the arrest of 59 suspected traffickers since its launch on August 8, officials announced Thursday. The operation, focused on the Eastern Pacific Ocean, is averaging the interdiction of over 1,800 pounds of cocaine per day.
The effort is part of a broader Trump administration crackdown on drug cartels and narco-terrorism, which has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
A High-Tempo Operation
Operation Pacific Viper was designed to accelerate counter-drug missions in a key transit zone for narcotics flowing from South America. The Coast Guard has surged assets, including cutters, aircraft, and tactical teams, resulting in more than 20 successful interdictions in just over a month.
"The Coast Guard’s maritime fighting force is relentless in our ongoing operations to counter narco-terrorism," said Rear Adm. Jeffrey Novak, deputy commander of the Pacific Area. "Our latest milestone... underscores our commitment to dismantling Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Transnational Criminal Organizations engaged in narco-trafficking."
One specific action highlighted was a September 10 drug bust by the Coast Guard cutter Seneca. The crew interdicted a low-profile vessel northeast of the Galápagos Islands, seizing 5,500 pounds of cocaine.
Part of a Larger Crackdown
Operation Pacific Viper is a component of the Trump administration's wider strategy to disrupt the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. This includes designating cartels like Tren de Aragua as foreign terrorist organizations and increasing military pressure in the region.
In recent weeks, the U.S. military has conducted at least two strikes against alleged drug-laden vessels originating from Venezuela. After the first strike, President Donald Trump told reporters, "It was massive amounts of drugs coming into our country to kill a lot of people... they won't be doing it again."
The administration has also bolstered its counter-narcotics efforts by deploying several U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers to U.S. Southern Command. This has drawn sharp criticism from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who views the U.S. military presence as an "extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat" intended to intimidate his government and seek regime change.
