On Monday, the crew of the USCGC Escanaba offloaded around 7,050 pounds of cocaine—valued at over $53 million—at Port Everglades, Florida, following two interdictions in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, as reported by the United States Coast Guard.
This operation received support from the Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON), the Joint Interagency Task Force South, and watchstanders from the Coast Guard's Southeast and Southwest Districts.
Cmdr. Nicholas Seniuk, the commanding officer of the Escanaba, praised his crew's performance: "The crew's accomplishments on this patrol reflect the finest aspects of our service: courage, vigilance, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the American people."
"Each pound of narcotics we keep off our streets represents transformed lives, violence prevented, and safer communities. We couldn't be prouder of their extraordinary work," Seniuk added.
The Coast Guard emphasized that 80% of drugs destined for the United States are intercepted at sea, with the seized cocaine funding cartels and transnational criminal organizations that also produce and traffic illegal fentanyl into U.S. territory.
This offload follows just days after the USCGC Tampa unloaded 3,825 pounds of cocaine—valued at $28.7 million—under Operation Pacific Viper after a 74-day patrol.
On April 23, the USCGC Resolute also delivered 2,570 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of $19.3 million, from three interdictions in the Caribbean conducted by the USCGC Tahoma and the USS Billings.
In March, the Coast Guard seized over 6,570 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $49 million in the Eastern Pacific, while in February, 17,750 pounds valued at over $133.5 million were confiscated with the involvement of the USCGC Seneca and HITRON.
These operations are part of a continued pattern of interdictions that notably intensified in 2025, when the Coast Guard seized over 511,000 pounds of cocaine, more than triple its historical annual average.
Since the launch of Operation Pacific Viper in August 2025, focused on the Eastern Pacific, the institution has confiscated more than 215,000 pounds of cocaine and detained 160 alleged drug traffickers, marking one of the largest cocaine confiscations in U.S. Coast Guard history.
Coast Guard Drug Interdiction Efforts
How much cocaine did the USCGC Escanaba offload?
The USCGC Escanaba offloaded approximately 7,050 pounds of cocaine.
What is the estimated value of the seized cocaine?
The seized cocaine is valued at over $53 million.
Which operations were involved in recent drug seizures?
Recent drug seizures involved operations such as Operation Pacific Viper and other coordinated efforts by the Coast Guard and its partners.
What percentage of drugs destined for the U.S. are intercepted at sea?
Eighty percent of drugs destined for the United States are intercepted at sea.