USCG T.A.C.L.E.T.
U.S. Coast Guard’s TACLET Teams: America’s Elite Maritime Guardians
When most people think of the U.S. Coast Guard, they picture rescue swimmers hoisting stranded mariners from stormy seas or cutters patrolling the nation’s coasts.
But behind the scenes, a select group of highly trained specialists operates on the cutting edge of maritime law enforcement and counter-narcotics missions—the Tactical Law Enforcement Teams, known simply as TACLETs.
These elite units serve as the Coast Guard’s rapid-response strike force, capable of boarding and seizing drug-laden vessels, apprehending smugglers, and supporting national security missions worldwide.
TACLETs trace their roots to the 1980s, when the Coast Guard recognized the need for specialized teams to combat the growing wave of maritime drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
The first formal Tactical Law Enforcement Team was established in 1982 in Miami, Florida. Since then, TACLET units have expanded to several key locations, including San Diego, Alameda, and Puerto Rico, each positioned strategically to support missions across multiple theaters.
Their mission is simple but critical: deploy specialized boarding teams to enforce U.S. and international law at sea. These teams, called Law Enforcement Detachments or LEDETs, are embedded aboard U.S. Navy and allied warships, as well as Coast Guard cutters, providing law enforcement authority where military vessels typically cannot operate under U.S. law.
Each LEDET usually consists of 8–12 highly trained Coast Guard members who can rapidly deploy to any part of the world. Their bread and butter is counter-narcotics interdiction, targeting “go-fast” boats, semi-submersibles, and fishing vessels smuggling tons of cocaine and other contraband from South America.
Operating under the Department of Homeland Security, TACLET teams have the unique ability to bring law enforcement powers to joint military operations, bridging a crucial gap between defense and domestic authority.
When intelligence identifies a potential smuggling vessel, a LEDET team is launched via small boat or helicopter to intercept and board.
Once on deck, the team’s responsibilities include securing the crew, inspecting cargo, and conducting searches for hidden compartments. In many cases, smugglers attempt to jettison their illicit cargo before capture—a tactic LEDETs are trained to counter through rapid evidence recovery and documentation procedures.
Becoming a TACLET member is no easy feat. Candidates must first serve in the Coast Guard and demonstrate exceptional physical fitness, leadership, and judgment under pressure.
Selection involves rigorous screening, followed by advanced training in close-quarters combat, maritime law enforcement, tactical shooting, fast-roping, and boarding procedures.
Many also undergo advanced medical and communications training, enabling them to operate independently in austere environments.
The training doesn’t stop after qualification. TACLET operators continuously refine their skills through joint exercises with Navy SEALs, Marine units, and international partners.
This joint integration ensures that TACLETs can seamlessly operate alongside other special operations forces, whether interdicting smugglers in the Caribbean or boarding a suspicious vessel in the Arabian Gulf.
TACLET teams play a major role in global counter-narcotics operations. Working under U.S. Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South, they are responsible for seizing thousands of tons of cocaine and other narcotics every year—valued in the billions of dollars.
Their efforts directly disrupt the financial networks of transnational criminal organizations and reduce the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
In addition to counter-drug missions, TACLETs have participated in anti-piracy operations, maritime security enforcement, and port protection efforts during times of heightened national threat.
They’ve operated in places as far-reaching as the Persian Gulf, the Horn of Africa, and the South China Sea, showcasing the Coast Guard’s global reach and versatility.
Despite their tactical skill and global reputation, TACLET members are often humble professionals who view their work as a duty rather than glory. Many describe their greatest satisfaction as knowing they are protecting their nation and saving lives indirectly—by intercepting dangerous cargo before it reaches American streets.
As maritime threats evolve—ranging from human trafficking to transnational terrorism—the mission of TACLETs continues to expand.
The U.S. Coast Guard has increasingly relied on these elite teams not only for drug interdiction but also for supporting Department of Defense operations, homeland security missions, and international partnerships that promote stability on the world’s oceans.
In an era when the seas remain the world’s most vital—and most vulnerable—trade routes, the U.S. Coast Guard’s TACLETs stand as a quiet but powerful force, defending America’s interests and enforcing the rule of law wherever the ocean takes them.
Their motto says it best: “Ready, Relevant, and Relentless.”
Nautical Mile Magazine
