The Spoils of War
The Coast Guard has seized nearly 300 tons of cocaine over the past five years. The number of vessels seized has dropped substantially because smugglers are packing more cocaine into fewer boats, Coast Guard officials say.
| Fiscal Year | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Cocaine seized (tons) | 41.3 | 55.8 | 66.2 | 69.2 | 58.9 |
| Vessels seized | 75 | 74 | 56 | 30 | 40 |
| Value (billions) | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
Source: U.S. Coast Guard
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