A US Coast Guard sniper stopped a drug boat in the Eastern Pacific this week, according to footage shared by Fox News. The chase happened just south of Mexico on Tuesday, where the Coast Guard tracked a fast boat carrying more than 20,000 pounds of cocaine, enough for about 7.5 million dangerous doses.
The Coast Guard cutter Munro led the operation under Operation Pacific Viper. Fox News Digital reported that the cutter “seized more than 20,000 pounds of cocaine in a single drug interdiction mission,” calling it the largest haul a national security cutter has taken from a go-fast vessel.
In the video, the drug boat speeds through rough waves while a Coast Guard helicopter moves in. A sniper from the Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron takes aim and fires from the air. The shots hit the boat’s engine, stopping it in the water. Coast Guard crew members then closed in and boarded the boat.
Authorities say this latest seizure adds to a big jump in cocaine busts in the Eastern Pacific. The US Coast Guard reported taking in 100,000 pounds of cocaine over just a few weeks in October. A military official said crews were collecting about 1,600 pounds a day during that time. In November, the Coast Guard announced it had seized 510,000 pounds in the 2025 financial year, the most in its history.
BREAKING: Coast Guard helicopter sniper takes out narco-boat in the Eastern Pacific in footage obtained by Fox News.
The Coast Guard seized over 20,000 pounds of cocaine during the mission, which amounts to more than 7.5M potentially lethal doses, according to the outlet.
“The… pic.twitter.com/kvtbk49NWp
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 6, 2025
They said it increased its presence in the area because traffickers are moving huge shipments from Central and South America. The missions are coordinated with US Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force-South, which tracks drug routes and alerts Guard crews to move in.
The Coast Guard also works with international partners to break up smuggling routes at sea. Officials say this system helps crews react quickly once they find a suspicious boat. The agency also noted that it serves as the main federal force for stopping drugs on the ocean.
The report also mentioned other actions during the Trump administration. Fox News said the Coast Guard teamed up with the Department of Homeland Security and even launched air strikes on suspected drug boats. One strike on ships from Venezuela on September 2 drew heavy criticism. Reports said two men survived the first blasts but died after a second round of gunfire.
