Yellowhammer Times

A Mexican national has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in smuggling more than a metric ton of cocaine by sea. On August 14, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer handed down a 108-month sentence to Adrian Palomeque Gordillo after he pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the maritime seizure.

According to court records, the incident occurred on September 24, 2024, when a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from the Cutter Munro identified a suspected drug trafficking vessel about 160 nautical miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, in international waters. The helicopter attempted to stop the vessel with warning shots before disabling its engines. Crew members recorded video evidence as individuals aboard the boat threw packages into the ocean.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel boarded the vessel and recovered 24 bales from surrounding waters containing approximately 1,148 kilograms of cocaine. Gordillo and four others were detained and transferred along with the seized drugs to U.S. authorities for prosecution under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act.

The vessel was later sunk due to being considered a navigational hazard and lacking suitable tow points given its distance from land.

The United States Coast Guard and Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney George F. May prosecuted the case.

“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN),” according to officials.