US Coast Guard has in the last fiscal year set a new record with the seizure of more than 225 tons of cocaine in the waters of the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific. This is three times more than the average for previous years – and is praised by the UN, which conversely criticizes the US airstrikes against suspected smuggling boats.
According to the acting coast guard chief, Adm. Kevin Lunday, the historic quantity is due to both intensified patrols and a significant increase in cocaine production in Colombia, where production in 2022 was estimated at 1,800 tons and is still increasing.
“We have control of the sea, and the record-breaking seizures show that we are effectively combating drug cartels and protecting our society,” Lunday stated according to Maritime-Executive.
From August to October 2025, the coast guard seized on average more than 680 kilos of cocaine daily. The operations are conducted as non-lethal interventions, where crews stop smuggling vessels at sea.
Simultaneously, Donald Trump has initiated a more aggressive military campaign against drug smuggling in the region, including airstrikes against suspected “narco-terrorists” in smuggling boats – an approach which the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has criticized for being in violation of international law.
The US Coast Guard’s effort is instead highlighted as an example of effective and proportional maritime control with a focus on maritime security and the protection of human rights.
-emte
