United States - September 06, 2025 On September 6, 2025, the US Coast Guard Cutter (CGC) Stone carried out three drug interdictions in a single night, seizing nearly 13,000 pounds of cocaine and apprehending seven suspected smugglers. In a dramatic display of force, Stone sank one intercepted drug smuggling vessel during a live-fire exercise, permanently removing it from cartel use while simultaneously sharpening combat readiness. The destruction of the vessel highlights the Coast Guard’s aggressive strategy under Operation Pacific Viper, which deploys increased assets to the Eastern Pacific to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and stop illicit drugs from reaching the United States. Officials emphasized the symbolic and strategic importance of the action, declaring: “This is what owning the sea looks like. This is where defense of America begins.”