The crew of a U.S. Coast Guard ship intercepted three boats carrying illegal drugs in the Caribbean Sea, seizing over three tons of cocaine and halting what officials termed a “triple threat.” The Tahoma, a 270-foot cutter, made the interdictions approximately 90 miles off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia. To capture all three alleged drug boats simultaneously, the Tahoma’s crew launched two small boats and deployed a helicopter. The alleged smugglers on one boat chased by the helicopter were uncooperative. Coast Guard aircrew employed aerial tactics, including precision sniper fire aimed at the engines, to halt the boat. The alleged smugglers jumped overboard and were rescued by the Coast Guard without any injuries reported. Video footage from the Coast Guard depicted a crew member firing at the area in front of the vessel before providing rescue floats to the alleged smugglers after their leap overboard.
The alleged smugglers aboard the other two boats ceased their movement when directed to do so by Coast Guard crew members aboard the small boats. The Coast Guard did not disclose the number of individuals apprehended during the operation or whether the alleged smugglers on the three boats were operating together. The Tahoma’s crew confiscated 6,085 pounds of cocaine from the three vessels, valued at around $45 million. The drugs will be unloaded by the ship’s crew at Port Everglades in Florida.
Photos released by the Coast Guard showcased the three suspected drug boats set on fire. A Coast Guard spokesperson previously informed CBS News that upon encountering a suspected smuggling vessel, the agency detains the alleged smugglers, seizes any drugs, and then sinks the boat to avoid posing a threat to other marine traffic.
Around 80% of narcotics intercepted while en route to the United States are discovered at sea, as per the Coast Guard. In 2025, the agency confiscated over 511,000 pounds of cocaine. The administration of former President Donald Trump has identified the prevention of drug flow into the United States as one of its primary goals. Operations involving deadly actions against alleged drug vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean have resulted in the deaths of nearly 200 individuals since beginning last September. Furthermore, the administration has classified drug cartels and transnational gangs as terrorist organizations.
