In a dramatic high-seas interception, the USS Gravely, a guided missile destroyer of the U.S. Navy, thwarted a massive drug trafficking operation in the Caribbean on May 25, 2025, seizing 860 pounds of cocaine valued at an astonishing $13.65 million. The operation unfolded in the notorious smuggler’s corridor known as “the funnel,” a hotspot for narco-traffickers aiming to slip illicit cargo into U.S. waters.

At dawn, a Navy P-8 Poseidon patrol plane detected a suspicious vessel—flagless and unresponsive—navigating through the region. The Gravely, already on high alert under the U.S. Northern Command’s Maritime Homeland Defense Authority, swiftly deployed its Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET 401) for an immediate boarding operation. As sailors scrambled into rigid hull inflatable boats, tension escalated; the target vessel remained eerily still, dropping anchor rather than fleeing.

Upon boarding, the LEDET team discovered sealed cargo holds wrapped in plastic and duct tape. Inside, 19 bales of cocaine, meticulously packaged and bearing cartel markings, confirmed the worst fears of the crew. The suspects, three men feigning innocence, were quickly subdued and detained without resistance, revealing the grim reality of their operation.

This successful interception is a testament to the Navy’s forward interdiction strategy, part of the ongoing Campaign Martillo aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks before they reach American shores. Each seized shipment not only disrupts the cartel’s operations but also curtails the violence and addiction that follows in its wake.

As the Gravely’s crew documented the evidence and prepared for the transfer of the suspects to the DEA, a clear message resonated: the U.S. Navy is vigilant, and the fight against drug trafficking is far from over. This wasn’t just a bust; it was a calculated strike against organized crime, emphasizing that the seas are not safe for smugglers. The cartels may think they can run, but the U.S. Navy is always watching.