JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) achieved a significant milestone in its counter-drug mission, completing its 1,000th interdiction of suspected narco-trafficking vessels Aug. 25.

Since October 1, 2024, HITRON has interdicted $3.3 billion in illicit narcotics destined for the United States via maritime routes, a three-fold increase over its historic annual average of $1 billion.

“HITRON embodies the Coast Guard’s spirit of innovation and adaptability,” said Vice Adm. Nathan Moore, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area. “From its humble beginnings as a prototype program, it has evolved into a vital force in our counter-narcotics efforts. This milestone is a powerful reminder of the strategic value of this specialized unit in addressing the evolving complex maritime security challenges.”

On Aug. 25, a HITRON aviation detachment deployed aboard Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) observed a suspected narco-trafficking vessel approximately 372 nautical miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico in the early evening. The helicopter directed the vessel to heave to over the radio and with warning shots. When the vessel failed to comply, the crew used precision rifle fire from the helicopter to disable the vessel’s engine, in accordance with airborne use of force policy. A Coast Guard law enforcement boarding team from Midgett seized more than 3,600 pounds of suspected cocaine that was found aboard and jettisoned in the waters around the vessel, estimated to have a street value of $49 million.

HITRON is based in Jacksonville, Florida and a component of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command. It was founded in 1999 as a classified prototype program to test the ability of Coast Guard aircraft to employ precision fire to disable narcotics smuggling vessels. With impressive early results, this team grew from the initial ten personnel to its current size of over 200 Active Duty, Reservists, and civilian members, including an exchange pilot from the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. Since its founding, HITRON has interdicted $33.2 billion in illicit drugs during operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, and over the past 26 years has averaged one interdiction every nine days.

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. 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. These operations continue the Coast Guard’s efforts to protect the Homeland, project maritime law enforcement presence and disrupt transnational criminal organizations and cartels seeking to produce and traffic illicit drugs into the United States.

Editor’s note: All Coast Guard Southeast imagery can be found on DVIDS, here. 

Offload b-roll can be found, here.

Case imagery can be found: Eastern Pacific, Caribbean

Case video can be found: 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant interdicts over 1,615 pounds of illicit drugs in the Caribbean

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton interdicts over 4,475 pounds of illicit drugs in Eastern Pacific

MIAMI – The U.S. Coast Guard achieved a historic milestone with the offload of 76,140 pounds of illicit narcotics, valued at $473 million, marking the largest quantity of drugs offloaded in Coast Guard history, in Port Everglades, Monday.

Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton’s crew offloaded approximately 61,740 pounds of cocaine and approximately 14,400 pounds of marijuana. 

This combined illegal narcotics offload prevented the maritime flow of approximately 23 million potential lethal doses from reaching the United States.

“The U.S. Coast Guard in partnership with our federal, DoD, and international partners are offloading 61,740 pounds of cocaine, and this represents a significant victory in the fight against transnational criminal organizations, highlighting our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation from illicit trafficking and its devastating impacts,” said Rear Adm. Adam Chamie, Coast Guard Southeast District commander. “To put this into perspective, 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, underscoring the immense threat posed by transnational drug trafficking to our nation.”

The seized contraband was the result of 19 interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

On June 26, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted two suspicious go-fast vessels approximately 115 miles southeast of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Hamilton’s embarked Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics resulting in Hamilton’s boarding team interdicting both vessels, seizing more than 8,800 pounds of cocaine.

On June 27, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 125 miles southeast of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics allowing Hamilton’s boarding team to interdict the vessel, seizing more than 4,330 pounds of cocaine.

On June 30, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 87 miles north of Bonaire. A Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 408 crew deployed on USS Cole interdicted the vessel, seizing approximately 2,425 pounds of cocaine.

On July 3, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 15 miles north of Aragua, Venezuela. A LEDET 404 crew deployed on the Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS Friesland interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 5,450 pounds of cocaine.

On July 11, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 17 miles northeast of Silva, Venezuela. Friesland’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and an embarked LEDET 404 boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing 9,088 pounds of marijuana.

On July 21, Hamilton’s embarked unmanned aircraft system crew spotted suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 600 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and Hamilton’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 3,395 pounds of cocaine.

On July 23, Hamilton’s crew detected and boarded a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 88 miles southeast of Socorro Island, Mexico. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and Hamilton’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 9,160 pounds of cocaine.

On July 25, a maritime patrol aircraft notified Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant’s crew of a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 180 miles south of the Dominican Republic. Vigilant’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 1,410 pounds of cocaine and 80 pounds of marijuana.

On Aug. 2, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 52 miles north of Carabobo, Venezuela. Friesland’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and an embarked LEDET 404 boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing 2,615 pounds of marijuana.

On Aug. 2, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 640 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and Hamilton’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 4,110 pounds of cocaine.

On Aug. 5, Hamilton’s embarked UAS crew detected a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 543 miles southeast of Clipperton Island. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and Hamilton’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 4,210 pounds of cocaine.

On Aug. 6, Hamilton’s embarked UAS crew detected a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 625 miles southeast of Clipperton Island. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and Hamilton’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 4,375 pounds of cocaine.

On Aug. 7, Coast Guard Cutter Diligence’s crew detected and boarded a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 136 miles southwest of Negril, Jamaica. Diligence’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing 1,500 pounds of marijuana.

On Aug 7, Hamilton’s embarked UAS crew detected a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 750 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON aircrew employed airborne use of force tactics, and Hamilton’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 20 pounds of cocaine.

On Aug 7, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 100 miles north of Aruba. A LEDET 108 crew deployed on USS Minneapolis Saint-Paul interdicted the vessel, seizing approximately 2,700 pounds of cocaine.

On Aug 8, Hamilton’s embarked UAS crew detected a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 750 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico. Hamilton’s embarked HITRON air crew employed airborne use of force tactics, and Hamilton’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 4,145 pounds of cocaine.

On Aug 15, a maritime patrol aircraft notified Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant’s crew of a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 35 miles southwest of Haiti. Vigilant’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing more than 1,615 pounds of marijuana.

On Aug 18, a maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 130 miles south of Jamaica. USS Minneapolis Saint-Paul’s boarding team interdicted the vessel, seizing approximately 6,425 pounds of cocaine.

On Aug 18, HNLMS Friesland’s crew detected a suspicious go-fast vessel approximately 20 miles west of Curacao. Friesland’s boarding team seized approximately 700 pounds of cocaine.

The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:

• U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton

• U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant

• U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Diligence

• U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) Jacksonville

• U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team-Pacific (PAC-TACLET)

• U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team-South (TACLET-South)

• USS Minneapolis Saint-Paul

• USS Cole

• The Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS Friesland

• Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S)

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (CBP-AMO) aircrews

• Southeast Coast Guard District watchstanders

• Southwest Coast Guard District watchstanders

“Team Hamilton with our partners, worked incredibly hard the last several months to safeguard the American public from the dangers of illicit narcotics entering the United States,” said Capt. John B. McWhite, commanding officer, Hamilton. “This outstanding group of professionals achieved unparalleled results in our nation’s fight against transnational criminal drug organizations. The crew interdicted 11 go-fast vessels, detained 34 suspected drug traffickers, and seized a record 47,000 pounds of cocaine. The commitment and sacrifice of our deployed service members and their families, who forego time together for the protection of our Nation, are to be celebrated.”

Detecting and interdicting illicit drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination because 80% of drugs are interdicted on the high seas. U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force – South based in Key West conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard throughout the interdiction and apprehension. Interdictions in the Eastern Pacific Ocean are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard’s Southwest District, headquartered in Alameda, California.

To protect the Homeland from ongoing trafficking of illicit narcotics from South America to the United States, the Coast Guard is accelerating our counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean in support of Operation Pacific Viper.

The Coast Guard continues increased operations to interdict, seize and disrupt transshipments of cocaine and other bulk illicit drugs by sea. These drugs fuel and enable cartels and transnational criminal organizations to produce and traffic illegal fentanyl, threatening the United States.

These interdictions deny criminal organizations more than half a billion dollars in illicit revenue. They provide critical testimonial and drug evidence as well as key intelligence for their total elimination. These interdictions relate to Panama Express Strike Force investigations in support of Operation Take Back America. PANEX identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

Hamilton is one of four 418-foot Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Charleston, South Carolina under U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.

For more information, follow U.S. Coast Guard Southeast on “X” (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram, and find U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Southwest on “X” (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.

Visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities in the U.S. Coast Guard. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.

For breaking news, find press releases and contact information for our regional public affairs offices here: U.S. Coast Guard News by Region.

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