In an unprecedented drug interdiction, the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force South (JIATF-S) has seized one million pounds of cocaine during the 2025 fiscal year. This amount of drugs represents a staggering 378 million lethal doses and marks the largest seizure in the history of the task force. Operating under the U.S. Southern Command, JIATF-S coordinates anti-drug trafficking efforts across a maritime region that includes South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The task force's operation has prevented transnational criminal organizations from potential earnings of $11.34 billion through drug sales. According to Fox News, the one million pound milestone was achieved just as the fiscal year concluded on Tuesday, capping the 12-month period of these enforcement actions.
“By disrupting the flow of these deadly drugs, JIATF-S is saving lives and protecting our homeland,” stated the U.S. Southern Command.
JIATF-S, which incorporates personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, actively disrupts the illicit drug movement through what is known as the "transit zone." This area is a primary corridor for drug trafficking and extends from the Eastern Pacific to the Western Atlantic Ocean. The task force's operational jurisdiction covers a vast 42 million square miles.
Officials revealed that the confiscated drugs would require 42 dump trucks to transport and emphasized the significance of this achievement in combating well-funded and technologically advanced criminal networks. These networks have historically utilized the region to move not only drugs but also weapons, cash, and people.
The Trump administration has increased military operations in the Caribbean as a central component of its counter-narcotics policy, with President Trump leading numerous missions targeting smuggling vessels. The administration's focus on dismantling cartel operations has been further highlighted by recent designations of multiple groups as foreign terrorist organizations and a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro, accused by U.S. authorities of being part of the Cartel of the Suns, has dismissed the allegations and condemned U.S. military deployments as a threat to Venezuela's sovereignty.
This massive drug seizure by JIATF-S represents a significant blow to the drug trade and narco-terrorism. It also exemplifies the complex and ongoing battle against drug trafficking organizations that threaten regional stability and public health on a global scale.
