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 8:22pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a single brick of cocaine, its rough texture and edges sharply illuminated by a harsh flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the gritty details of a major drug interdiction operation.A major cocaine seizure off the coast of Ecuador disrupts the supply chain of a transnational drug trafficking operation.McAllen Today

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Escanaba seized 4,510 pounds of cocaine valued at nearly $34 million that was thrown into the Pacific Ocean by suspected narco-terrorists off the coast of Ecuador. The seizure was part of Operation Pacific Viper, which Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says is a key part of President Trump's fight against drug cartels at sea.

Why it matters

The seizure of this large cocaine shipment is a significant blow to drug trafficking operations and the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States. It demonstrates the ongoing efforts by U.S. law enforcement to disrupt the supply chains of major drug cartels and organized crime groups.

The details

After a U.S. maritime patrol aircraft spotted a suspected narco-terrorist vessel throwing contraband overboard, the Coast Guard cutter Escanaba was dispatched to investigate. The helicopter marked the suspected location off the coast of Manta, Ecuador, and the Escanaba's officers were able to recover the 4,510 pounds of cocaine that had been jettisoned.

  • On Sunday, the Coast Guard cutter Escanaba seized the cocaine off the coast of Ecuador.
  • The seizure was part of the ongoing Operation Pacific Viper.

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.

Markwayne Mullin

The current Homeland Security Secretary, who stated that Operation Pacific Viper is a key part of President Trump'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.”

— Markwayne Mullin, Homeland Security Secretary

The takeaway

This large cocaine seizure is an important victory in the ongoing battle against transnational drug trafficking organizations. It demonstrates the effectiveness of U.S. law enforcement operations targeting the maritime supply chains used by major cartels to smuggle narcotics into the country.