United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Caribbean Division joined the Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Sara Carter, and federal and state law enforcement partners to discuss Operation Path to Zero, a United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)-led initiative focused on disrupting drug trafficking networks exploiting Puerto Rico and the Caribbean as a transit point to the mainland United States.

The discussion also highlighted ongoing efforts under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative and the importance of unified enforcement actions targeting transnational criminal organizations operating throughout the Caribbean region.

Operation Path to Zero, led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Miami Division and San Juan Domicile, was launched in January 2026 and has already resulted in the seizure of more than 556 kilograms of cocaine from over 448 USPS parcels destined for the mainland United States. The operation represents a coordinated partnership among federal, state, and local agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and members of the Homeland Security Task Force.

As a critical gateway region, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean continue to face persistent threats from criminal organizations seeking to exploit maritime routes, air travel, and mail systems to transport illicit narcotics, firearms, and criminal proceeds. Drug trafficking organizations continually adapt their methods to evade detection, but law enforcement agencies are equally adapting through intelligence-driven operations and unprecedented interagency cooperation.

“The Caribbean remains a strategically important region for transnational criminal organizations seeking access to the United States, but today’s results send a very different message,” said DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Mayer. “Criminal networks may change routes, hide behind parcels, or attempt to exploit vulnerabilities, but they cannot outrun partnership. When federal, state, and local agencies bring intelligence, resources, and operational capabilities together, we become far more than individual agencies — we become one unified force. The seizure of over half a metric ton of cocaine through this initiative is proof that we are disrupting these networks before they can poison our communities and fuel violence across our region.”

The Homeland Security Task Force continues serving as a whole-of-government approach dedicated to identifying, investigating, and dismantling transnational criminal organizations responsible for drug trafficking, violence, human smuggling, and other criminal activities affecting the United States and partner nations.

DEA Caribbean Division remains committed to working alongside federal, state, local, and international partners to target the criminal organizations responsible for introducing dangerous drugs into our communities and threatening public safety throughout Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the broader Caribbean region.

Today’s discussion and operational results demonstrate the power of intelligence sharing, coordinated enforcement efforts, and sustained partnerships in protecting the Homeland and safeguarding communities from the devastating impacts of drug trafficking.