August 26, 2025
The potential 23 million lethal doses of cocaine seized by the U.S. Coast Guard and our partners, are enough to fatally overdose the entire population of the state of Florida.
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Adam Chamie announcing the offloading of over 76,000 pounds of illegal drugs – valued at $473 million – in Port Everglades on Monday.
Why It Matters: The haul marks the largest offloading of drugs in Coast Guard history. With the support of multiple agencies, including international aid, the Coast Guard confiscated the drugs during 19 separate seizures throughout the summer in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean. More than 30 suspected drug traffickers were taken into custody.
Did You Know? “The Coast Guard noted in its announcement that 80 percent of illegal drugs stopped from coming into the U.S. are intercepted on the high seas. The patrol in the Eastern Pacific is part of an ongoing Coast Guard-led mission called Operation Pacific Viper aimed at stopping South American-based cocaine smuggling efforts.” (Miami Herald)
Learn More:
- Record cocaine haul had “enough to fatally overdose the entire population of Florida,” Coast Guard says (CBS News)
- 38 tons of narcotics worth $470M seized in historic bust off South Florida coast (Miami Herald)
Image Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
by Stephanie Wagner, based in Florida
