In a triumphant return to California, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Munro and its dedicated crew completed a remarkable 119-day mission that resulted in the largest maritime drug seizure in nearly two decades. The operation, which took place in the Atlantic, marked a significant achievement in the ongoing efforts under the Trump administration to combat drug trafficking.
The Munro embarked on its journey from Alameda on November 3, 2025, initially setting course for San Diego to engage in training exercises known as Resolute Hunter. Afterward, the vessel ventured into the Pacific Ocean to execute counternarcotics patrols as part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Operation Pacific Viper.
In a strategic shift, the Munro was redirected to the Atlantic Ocean to support Operation Southern Spear, a concerted initiative aimed at dismantling transnational criminal networks. This operation underscores the administration’s commitment to disrupting illicit drug activities, the War Department announced on Monday.
During the mission, the Munro sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar near Ceuta, Spain, making waves in more ways than one. The crew not only managed to seize a staggering 22,000 pounds of cocaine but also detained several suspected drug traffickers, setting a new standard for maritime law enforcement. (Getty Images)
Captain Jim O’Mara, commanding officer of the Munro, expressed immense pride in his crew’s achievements, stating, “The service, our nation, and our families can be extremely proud of Munro. This crew tackled every challenge with professionalism and persistence, achieving historic results. While this was a unique deployment, it is just one component of a broader campaign and U.S. national strategy.”
Following their passage through the Panama Canal, the Munro’s mission took them across the Caribbean Sea. During this leg, they tracked the U.S.-sanctioned Motor Tanker Bella 1 over an impressive 18-day and 4,900-mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
The vessel was determined to be without nationality and subject to U.S. jurisdiction. The crew of the Munro boarded the Bella to seize control of the 333-meter crude oil carrier.
In the Pacific, the Munro detected a vessel transiting along a known smuggling route.
President Donald Trump speaks with the media as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks on aboard Air Force One during a flight from Dover, Delaware, to Miami, Florida on Saturday. (SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
With the help of its two cutter pursuit boats and other assets, the Munro tracked and interdicted the vessel using warning shots and disabling fire from a helicopter.
Six suspected drug smugglers were detained and 22,052 pounds of cocaine were seized, a milestone not seen in nearly two decades.
“We could not have done this without support from partners, allies, and our families,” said O’Mara. “Our families had to adapt to each new twist, just like all military families do across the Armed Forces. It is tough on them. But when they hold strong at home that keeps us motivated and focused on our mission.”
On Sunday, the Pentagon announced that U.S. forces have carried out a lethal strike on a vessel allegedly carrying suspected narco-traffickers in the Eastern Pacific, killing six people on board.
The latest strike brings the death toll in the Trump administration’s attacks on ships carrying suspected drug smugglers to at least 156, according to The New York Times.
It was the 45th strike since the U.S. began targeting boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific in early September and comes amid a recent increase in the pace of strikes, the newspaper reported.
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