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Coast Guard Offloads Over 48,000 Pounds of Narcotics Worth $509 Million at Port Everglades

By - April 9, 2025
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Fort Lauderdale, FL – In one of the largest drug seizures in recent maritime enforcement history, the United States Coast Guard offloaded over 48,400 pounds of illicit narcotics at Port Everglades this week. The haul, which included vast quantities of cocaine and marijuana, carries an estimated street value of more than $509 million. The drugs were seized during multiple counter-drug patrols conducted across the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

This multi-agency effort involved coordination between the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Justice, FBI, and numerous international partners. The offload, made on April 9, 2025, is being hailed as a major victory in the ongoing fight against international drug trafficking.

Overview of the Seizure

According to U.S. Coast Guard officials, the drugs were confiscated through 13 successful interdictions during recent counter-narcotics patrols led by the crews of USCGC James and USCGC Mohawk. Working in conjunction with allied forces and the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and Tactical Law Enforcement Team-Pacific, crews intercepted drug-smuggling vessels in maritime drug transit zones stretching from Central America to the Caribbean basin.

Each interdiction involved high-speed chases, coordinated air and sea surveillance, and armed boarding teams trained to disable vessels and seize contraband without loss of life. In total, 48,400 pounds of drugs—including over 33,000 pounds of cocaine and 15,000 pounds of marijuana—were recovered.

Impact on Organized Crime

Officials have confirmed that the intercepted shipments were linked to transnational criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). The narcotics were believed to be destined for distribution networks in Florida, Georgia, and Texas, with a final reach into major cities across the United States.

Vice Admiral Kevin Lunday, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, described the mission as “a strategic win” against some of the most dangerous criminal syndicates in the Western Hemisphere. “This offload is about national security,” Lunday said during the press conference at Port Everglades. “It represents the strength of a global coalition and an interagency effort determined to interdict and dismantle maritime smuggling of dangerous drugs.”

Prosecution and Law Enforcement Response

Attorney General Pam Bondi, who attended the offload event, praised the operation as a blueprint for future anti-trafficking campaigns. “The drugs that you’ve seen today will no longer destroy lives. They will help us lock up the criminals who move them,” Bondi said. She confirmed that 11 individuals had been taken into custody in connection with the interdictions and would be prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida.

FBI Director Kash Patel echoed Bondi’s sentiments, stating: “We are going to get these drugs off the streets, off the markets, and as the Attorney General said, we’re going to lock them up. These traffickers will no longer be free to roam.”

All detainees face federal charges ranging from conspiracy to distribute controlled substances to international narcotics trafficking. Convictions could carry sentences of 20 years or more.

Coordination Across Borders

The interdictions were carried out with the cooperation of law enforcement and military partners in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama. Intelligence sharing and joint operations allowed for rapid response and the legal boarding of flagged or unflagged vessels suspected of carrying narcotics.

Officials noted that the successful coordination of interdictions in international waters is a testament to long-standing partnerships with nations that share mutual goals in combating transnational organized crime and terrorism financing.

A Growing National Security Threat

Homeland security officials emphasized that maritime drug trafficking is more than just a criminal issue—it represents a growing threat to national stability and public safety. Cartel-linked drug movements often fund arms smuggling, human trafficking, and political corruption across the region.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that increased border and maritime patrol funding has contributed to greater interdiction success, though smugglers continue to develop more sophisticated methods, including semi-submersible “narco subs” and encrypted satellite coordination.

Vice Admiral Lunday warned that “as these criminal networks evolve, so must our strategy. Interdiction is just one tool in a much larger toolkit aimed at dismantling the logistics and finances of these cartels.”

Community and Regional Impact

South Florida, already a major transit point for both legal and illicit cargo, has been particularly vulnerable to narcotics flows. In recent years, Port Everglades has emerged as one of the Coast Guard’s busiest interdiction zones.

Local leaders, including Broward County officials, expressed gratitude for the operation and highlighted the importance of interagency communication. “Our communities are safer because of the brave men and women who put themselves in harm’s way to keep these drugs off our streets,” one official said during the press briefing.

Ongoing Enforcement Efforts

The Coast Guard confirmed that it will maintain an elevated presence in high-risk shipping lanes through the spring and summer months. Additional assets, including surveillance aircraft and intelligence officers, will be deployed as part of Operation Martillo—a joint U.S.-led effort targeting drug routes in Central America and the Caribbean.

The Department of Justice has also reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing international charges where appropriate and freezing financial assets linked to the criminal enterprises behind the shipments.

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