Coast Guard
USCG Cutter Resolute offloads illicit drug haul worth $19 million
Stars and Stripes
April 25, 2026
Seized narcotics are stacked on a pier at Base Miami Beach, Fla., on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Crew with the Coast Guard Cutter Resolute offloaded the drugs, which were the result of three interdictions in the Caribbean Sea. (Reese Hindmarsh/U.S. Coast Guard)
Crew with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute offloaded more than 2,500 pounds of cocaine on Thursday at Base Miami Beach, Fla.
The narcotics had an estimated street value of $19.3 million, according to a service news release, which also said the crew transferred six suspected drug smugglers to federal authorities.
The haul was the result of three interdictions in the Caribbean Sea that also involved the Cutter Tahoma and USS Billings, a littoral combat ship that had a detachment of Coast Guard personnel.
“The success of these interdictions reflects the strength of our partnerships and the persistence of our crews,” said Resolute’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Ian Starr, according to the release.
Resolute’s offloading at Base Miami Beach followed another last week from crew with the Cutter Tampa. Tampa’s crew offloaded more than 3,800 pounds of cocaine worth $28.7 million at the base.
The release did not specify whether the interdictions behind Resolute’s haul were part of Operation Pacific Viper, which enabled Tampa’s offloading and has resulted in the seizure of over 215,000 pounds of cocaine since launching in early August. Overall, the Coast Guard seized a record $3.8 billion in narcotics at sea in 2025.