The Coast Guard Unit That Hunted Drug Traffickers | Giuseppe Weller

The Coast Guard Unit That Hunted Drug Traffickers | Giuseppe Weller

Author: dee takos August 15, 2026 Duration: 1:27:36
Giuseppe Weller recounts the little-known story of the Coast Guard’s Drug Interdiction Assist Team, which worked alongside the DEA in South America conducting riverine missions, training local forces, and helping destroy cocaine labs and airstrips. He also discusses Ranger School, hunting traffickers in Bolivia, the eventual shutdown of the unit, and how that experience led him into a career in undercover and organized-crime investigations.
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00:00 - Start
01:19 - Growing Up and Joining the Coast Guard
07:44 - Joining the Coast Guard’s Secretive Drug Interdiction Unit
09:28 - Why the Coast Guard Was Sent Into South America
12:23 - Ranger School and the DIAT Training Pipeline
16:54 - Preparing for the Drug War in Bolivia
20:23 - Arriving in Bolivia After a Massive Drug Raid
26:39 - Riverine Operations Deep in the Amazon
29:38 - Blowing Up Cocaine Labs and Airstrips
31:27 - Hunting One of Bolivia’s Top Drug Traffickers
38:45 - Washington Starts Restricting the Mission
46:31 - Was the Drug War Actually Working?
55:26 - Coast Guard Operations Across Latin America
57:47 - The Beginning of the End for the DIAT
1:04:49 - Leaving the Coast Guard for Law Enforcement
1:17:06 - From Stolen Cars to a Philadelphia Mob Case


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Hosted by Jack Murphy, The Team House is a long-form conversation built around a simple, powerful premise: to understand national security, you need to listen to the people who have been there. This podcast deliberately steps away from the partisan noise, offering a fiercely apolitical space where special operations veterans, intelligence professionals, and frontline reporters can share their experiences and analysis. Many guests here are speaking publicly for the very first time, providing raw, firsthand accounts that you won't find elsewhere. Each episode is a deep dive into the realities of conflict, the nuanced tradecraft of intelligence work, and the underlying geopolitical forces that shape global events. The conversations are detailed, often technical, and always grounded in the lived expertise of the guests. Alongside this main show, the The Team House network includes the sister program Eyes On Geopolitics, hosted by Mick Mulroy, Andy Milburn, and Jason Lyons, which continues the focus on global dynamics with a similarly experienced lens. For listeners seeking substance over soundbites, this podcast delivers complex narratives about modern warfare, espionage, and international relations, told directly by the individuals who have operated within these shadowed worlds. It’s a rare opportunity to hear unfiltered perspectives on the most critical security challenges of our time, making each episode an immersive lesson in the human and strategic dimensions of power.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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