FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard has seized more than $500 million worth of cocaine and marijuana off the coasts of Mexico, South America and Central America in recent months, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.

In what Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called “an unprecedented seizure of illicit drugs,” two Coast Guard vessels intercepted over 45,000 pounds of cocaine and 50 pounds of marijuana headed for the U.S.

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. Coast Guard has seized more than $500,000 million worth of cocaine and marijuana off the coast of Mexico, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday

  • Two Coast Guard vessels intercepted over 45,000 pounds of cocaine and 50 pounds of marijuana headed for the U.S. in recent months

  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called it “an unprecedented seizure of illicit drugs”

  • Many of the drug cartels the Coast Guard encountered in its recent cocaine seizures were among the eight groups Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated as foreign terrorist organizations last month

“This action is a testimony to President Trump’s commitment to delivering for the American people and his unwavering dedication to our military strength, to our border security, our law enforcement, to our producing incredible results,” Noem said at a portside event where she was flanked by Coast Guard officers. “His leadership is making America safe again.”

The drug seizure is the result of 14 different interdictions of drug-smuggling vessels off the coasts of Mexico, South America and Central America, four of which happened over a span of 15 minutes.

Since President Donald Trump was sworn in, the U.S. has seized over 80,000 pounds of illegal drugs, according to U.S. Coast Guard acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday. The drugs were intercepted by the Coast Guard in partnership with the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Defense and 22 Central American, South American and European partners.

“The U.S. southern border is a system, and it’s interconnected, which is why a team approach across that system is so critical,” Lunday said. “As we see greater control on illegal crossings and attempted smuggling across the U.S. Southwest land border, we can expect that those cartels will try and get their drugs or move people a different way.”

Many of the drug cartels the Coast Guard encountered in its recent cocaine seizures were among the eight groups Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated as foreign terrorist organizations last month, Lunday said, adding that drug cartels are constantly adjusting to U.S. law enforcement tactics.

“We’ve seen the cartels get much more desperate lately as the border has become more secure, and they’re not able to follow their traditional routes of trafficking drugs and humans and conducting their violent activities into the country,” Noem said. 

Noem said 29 different Mexican drug cartel bosses have been extradited to the United States for prosecution in the past month.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 82,900 pounds of illegal drugs were seized in January and February this year compared with 104,600 pounds that were seized over the same period in 2024.