Coast Guard seizes over 240,000 pounds of cocaine, doubling amount interdicted in 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Coast Guard announced this week that it has seized 242,244 pounds of cocaine since the start of President Trump’s administration on January 20. This is a more than 100-percent increase over the cocaine seized under the previous administration over the same period in 2024.
Since just 1.2 grams of cocaine can be lethal, the Coast Guard has seized over 91 million potentially lethal doses — enough to kill the entire population of the states of California, Texas, and New York combined.
This milestone comes after President Trump ordered a surge of Coast Guard resources to America’s maritime border on his first day in office, tripling the number of forces along the U.S. southern border and maritime approaches.
“The U.S. southern border is an interconnected system, and as illegal migration and smuggling become harder across the southwest land border, cartels may try different routes,” said Coast Guard Acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday. “Our message to the cartels is this: We own the sea, not you. Using every capability at our disposal, the Coast Guard will prevent threats from reaching our borders.”
"Thanks to the heroic and diligent work of the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard, these drugs will never hit American streets to poison our communities and destroy American families," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "Securing our maritime borders is critical to making America safe again. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem's leadership, the Coast Guard is getting the resources and support it needs to fulfill its mission like never before."
Under the President’s leadership, Secretary Noem is implementing Force Design 2028, a full-scale effort to transform the Coast Guard into a more agile, capable, and responsive force. This effort will make the Coast Guard even more effective maritime force, empowering it to crack down on the international drug trade and keep deadly drugs like cocaine and fentanyl out of American communities.
80 percent of all US-bound drugs are seized on the high seas, and the Coast Guard is the primary force charged with interdicting those drugs and breaking up international maritime drug smuggling rings.
For more information about the Coast Guard, visit www.uscg.mil.
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