U.S. border authorities arrested three illegal aliens attempting to smuggling hundreds of pounds of cocaine into the country.
Customs and Border Protection just released footage of an Air and Marine Operations (AMO) Black Hawk helicopter crew unleashing a barrage of disabling fire on a ‘yola-style’ vessel earlier this month.
AMO detected a 25-foot watercraft carrying visible bundles in the Caribbean Sea on May 13 and maintained continuous surveillance for more than 24 hours.
Just before 10 p.m. on May 14, a pair of Coastal Interceptor Vessels interdicted the boat north of San Juan, Puerto Rico, but the smugglers refused to stop and began tossing bales of narcotics into the water.
A gunner aboard the Black Hawk opened fire on the vessel, rendering it inoperable.
ICYMI – 🚨 AMO Black Hawk disabling fire ends vessel pursuit of the coast of Puerto Rico! 3 Illegal Aliens in custody and 391 lbs. of cocaine seized! pic.twitter.com/X8oiORjDQR
— CBP AMO (@CBPAMO) May 31, 2026
One Interceptor crew boarded the disabled vessel while the other crew retrieved the packages from the sea.
Three Dominican Republic nationals were arrested and 391 pounds of cocaine were seized during the bust.
“Our Air and Marine Operations teams demonstrated exceptional skill and coordination in this interdiction. The decisive use of air disabling fire by our Black Hawk crew was instrumental in stopping the vessel and preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities,” said Caribbean Air and Marine Branch Director Christopher Hunter.
“This operation highlights our commitment to working with partners across all levels to disrupt smuggling networks and protect the security of the United States and its territories.”
The Trump administration continues an aggressive campaign to combat narco-trafficking in U.S. and international waters, as we frequently report.
