- 20.4 metric tons of cocaine seized in 11-day maritime operation
- Advanced drone surveillance identified CJNG and Sinaloa cartel shipments
- 11 traffickers arrested in coordinated interagency strike
In a devastating blow to transnational drug networks, the Department of Justice and U.S. Coast Guard announced the interception of cocaine valued at over $500 million off Florida's coast. The 11-day operation utilized cutting-edge surveillance technology to track suspicious vessel activity 1,200 miles southeast of Port Everglades, culminating in the largest single cocaine seizure in the Eastern Pacific this decade.
Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed that artificial intelligence-assisted radar systems detected anomalous shipping patterns, enabling Coast Guard cutter James to intercept three go-fast boats carrying 412 bales of narcotics. This haul represents enough cocaine for 28 million lethal doses,Bondi stated, emphasizing the operation's lifesaving potential. The bust comes amid a 34% year-over-year increase in maritime drug interdictions along Central American smuggling corridors.
Industry analysts note Mexican cartels now move 72% of cocaine through Pacific routes, exploiting gaps in aerial surveillance. The successful deployment of MQ-9 Reaper drones in this operation marks a strategic shift - Coast Guard aviation units logged 1,450 flight hours tracking thermal signatures across 58,000 square miles of ocean.
FBI Director Kash Patel outlined new counter-narcotics protocols: We're targeting cartel financial infrastructure through blockchain analysis and dark web monitoring.The dismantled trafficking cell reportedly used cryptocurrency to pay Ecuadorian suppliers, illustrating the complex global nature of modern drug operations.
A regional case study reveals Florida's role as the primary U.S. entry point for South American cocaine. Since 2023, Coast Guard District 7 has removed 119 metric tons of drugs from circulation - enough to fund cartel operations for 18 months. Wednesday's seizure alone deprives CJNG of an estimated 14% of its annual U.S. distribution capacity.
Defense Department officials confirm similar interagency task forces will deploy to West Africa, where cartels are establishing new cocaine transshipment hubs. With global cocaine production reaching 1,976 tons annually - a 45% increase since 2020 - analysts predict expanded use of naval reconnaissance satellites and AI pattern recognition in future interdictions.