US Coast Guard Seizes $33M in Cocaine Off Ecuador Coast

The drugs were tossed overboard by suspected narco-terrorists, the agency says.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 7:54pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a pile of white powder cocaine against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually illustrating the interdiction of a major drug shipment.A dramatic close-up of seized cocaine highlights the Coast Guard's ongoing battle against drug trafficking at sea.McAllen Today

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Escanaba seized 4,510 pounds of cocaine worth nearly $34 million that was thrown into the Pacific Ocean by suspected narco-terrorists off the coast of Ecuador. The drugs were located after a U.S. maritime patrol aircraft spotted the suspected vessel and notified the Escanaba, which then deployed officers to investigate and retrieve the contraband.

Why it matters

This seizure is part of the broader Operation Pacific Viper, which aims to disrupt drug trafficking operations at sea and cut off the flow of narcotics into the United States. The Coast Guard's interdiction efforts play a key role in the administration's strategy to combat the power and reach of international drug cartels.

The details

According to the Coast Guard, the Escanaba cutter was alerted by a U.S. maritime patrol aircraft that a suspected narco-terrorist vessel was throwing contraband overboard off the coast of Manta, Ecuador. The Escanaba then deployed officers who located and retrieved the 4,510 pounds of cocaine, which has an estimated street value of nearly $34 million.

  • On Sunday, the Coast Guard cutter Escanaba seized the cocaine off the coast of Ecuador.

The players

U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Escanaba

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter that was involved in the cocaine seizure operation off the coast of Ecuador.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin

The current U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, who stated that Operation Pacific Viper plays a central role in the administration's fight against drug cartels at sea.

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What they’re saying

“Operation Pacific Viper plays a central part of President Trump's fight against the cartels at sea, cutting off their ability to make money by trafficking their poison into our country.”

— Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin

The takeaway

This major cocaine seizure by the U.S. Coast Guard demonstrates the ongoing efforts to disrupt the international drug trade and prevent narcotics from reaching American shores. The interdiction is part of a broader strategy to combat the power of transnational criminal organizations and limit their ability to profit from the illegal drug trade.