A Mexican national, Adrian Palomeque Gordillo, has been sentenced to 108 months in prison after pleading guilty to smuggling over a metric ton of cocaine. The sentencing was handed down by United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer on August 14, 2025.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on September 24, 2024. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from the USCG Cutter Munro identified a suspected drug trafficking vessel about 160 nautical miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, during routine patrols in international waters. When the crew signaled the vessel to stop and received no compliance, warning shots were fired without effect. The helicopter then disabled the boat by shooting out its engines and captured video footage of smugglers throwing packages overboard.
U.S. Coast Guard personnel launched a Zodiac boat from their cutter and boarded the disabled vessel. They recovered 24 bales from the water near the boat, totaling approximately 1,148 kilograms of cocaine.
Gordillo and four other individuals aboard were detained and transferred with the seized drugs to USCG Cutter Munro for transport to the United States. The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act was used as grounds for prosecution. Due to safety concerns and lack of suitable tow points on the vessel, it was sunk after law enforcement operations concluded.
The investigation involved both the United States Coast Guard and Homeland Security Investigations under the Department of Homeland Security.
Assistant United States Attorney George F. May led prosecution efforts for this case.
The operation is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative designed by the Department of Justice that aims to combat illegal immigration and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations while safeguarding communities from violent crime perpetrators. This initiative coordinates resources through programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
