The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute offloaded 2,570 pounds of cocaine worth $20 million at Base Miami Beach on April 23, 2026. The drugs were interdicted in the Caribbean Sea during three operations involving the Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma and the USS Billings, which carried a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment. Federal authorities took custody of six suspected drug smugglers after the offload. The Resolute, a 210-foot medium endurance cutter based in St. Petersburg, Florida, is part of the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command.
The seizure adds to a broader effort by the Coast Guard. Since August 2025, the agency has seized over 215,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehended 160 suspected narco-traffickers. The drugs stacked on the pier at Base Miami Beach were valued at $19.3 million, according to the Coast Guard. The operations in the Caribbean Sea involved coordination between the Coast Guard and the Navy, reflecting ongoing joint efforts to disrupt drug trafficking routes.
The Resolute’s crew conducted the offload as part of a routine mission to enforce maritime security laws. The cutter has been deployed in the Caribbean and Atlantic regions multiple times this year, focusing on intercepting illicit cargo and apprehending smugglers. The drugs seized this week were found during three separate interdictions, though the exact locations and dates of those operations were not disclosed in official statements.
The Coast Guard did not immediately release details on the next steps for the seized drugs or the suspects. The Resolute is expected to return to its homeport in St. Petersburg after completing its current mission. The operation highlights the continued presence of U.S. law enforcement in the Caribbean, where drug trafficking remains a persistent challenge. No further details about the suspects or the drugs’ origin were provided in public reports.