Watch: US coast guard blows up drug boat in Caribbean; seizes 13,000 pounds of cocaine

The US Coast Guard destroyed a drug-laden boat bound for the United States, seizing nearly 13,000 pounds of cocaine in a high-profile operation.

A video posted on X Wednesday shows the vessel being blown up into flames as authorities carried out the strike.

“ASMR: @USCG captures, burns, and sinks a drug boat . Over the weekend, as part of Operation Pacific Viper , the @USCG Cutter Stone conducted three interdictions in a single night—seizing nearly 13,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehending seven suspected drug smugglers,” said the coast guard.

ASMR: @USCG captures, burns, and sinks a drug boat.

Over the weekend, as part of Operation Pacific Viper, the @USCG Cutter Stone conducted three interdictions in a single night—seizing nearly 13,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehending seven suspected drug smugglers. pic.twitter.com/wHRGUGYtTw

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 9, 2025

This operation follows a deadly US military strike against a suspected Tren de Aragua drug boat earlier this week. President Donald Trump said 11 people were killed in the strike in “international waters.”

Secretary of state Marco Rubio described the “lethal strike” as taking place in the “southern Caribbean” against “a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela.”

Escalation against latin american cartelsIn February, the state department designated Tren de Aragua, which originated in Venezuela, as a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorists.

The United States has deployed significant military assets around the Caribbean and Latin America, drawing criticism from Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.