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The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) captured, burned and sank a suspected “drug boat” over the weekend, video released on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showed.
As part of Operation Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard conducted three interdictions in one night in which nearly 13,000 pounds of cocaine were seized and seven suspected drug smugglers were apprehended.
“ASMR: @USCG captures, burns, and sinks a drug boat,” DHS wrote on X.
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“Over the weekend, as part of Operation Pacific Viper, the @USCG Cutter Stone conducted three interdictions in a single night—seizing nearly 13,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehending seven suspected drug smugglers,” the agency added.
The video showed the “drug boat” being blown up. The vessel was seen catching fire as it was repeatedly shot at.
Last week, the Coast Guard announced it has seized more than 40,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean since Operation Pacific Viper was launched early last month, averaging more than 1,600 pounds interdicted per day.
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“Through Operation Pacific Viper, the Coast Guard is accelerating counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, where significant transport of illicit narcotics continues from South America,” the Coast Guard said in a press release on Thursday. “In coordination with international and interagency partners, the Coast Guard is surging additional assets—cutters, aircraft and tactical teams—to interdict, seize and disrupt transshipments of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs.”
The sinking of the boat comes after a Marine strike on Sept. 2 hit a vessel in the southern Caribbean Sea while allegedly carrying members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua smuggling narcotics headed for the U.S.
This also comes as the U.S. military is bolstering its Navy presence near Venezuela, as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to stop drug trafficking from the Latin American country.
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