Coast Guard Rear Admiral on Drug Interdiction and Border Security Efforts

Coast Guard's Role and Threats

• ⚓ The Coast Guard is a vital instrument of national power, serving as a military service, federal law enforcement agency, and intelligence community member.
• ⚠️ The US faces evolving threats from narcoterrorists and transnational criminal organizations that smuggle drugs, traffic people, and use illicit cash.
• 🎯 The Coast Guard is on the front line, targeting these networks and pushing borders out to defend the homeland.

Deployable Specialized Forces

• ⚡ Highly skilled deployable specialized forces provide operational commanders with a versatile toolkit against asymmetric threats.
• 🛡️ These include maritime security response teams with federal maritime counterterrorism capability and tactical law enforcement teams for drug interdictions.
• 🌍 Their rigorous training ensures they can deploy globally to combat terrorism, piracy, and transnational crime.

Drug Interdiction Successes

• 📈 In fiscal year 2025, the Coast Guard achieved its largest annual maritime drug interdiction results, seizing over 511,000 pounds of narcotics.
• 💊 This seizure prevented over 193 million potentially lethal doses from reaching American communities, valued at more than $3.8 billion.
• 🚢 Operators recently conducted law enforcement boardings on dark fleet tankers to enforce sanctions and uphold international law.

Border Security Operations

• 🏞️ Operation Riverwall along the Rio Grande Valley has supported the apprehension or deterrence of over 300 individuals attempting illegal crossings since October 2025.
• 📈 Operation Border Trident increased alien interdictions along the southwest border by 44% over the previous year.
• 🛂 Enhanced enforcement presence protects the country against transnational criminal organizations and illegal aliens, upholding national sovereignty.

Modernization and Future Vision

• 🚀 The Coast Guard is pursuing a bold modernization through Force Design 2028 to become more agile and capable.
• 💰 Historic investments through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are transforming the service to protect the American people and advance national security.