The war between the Coast Guard and the rum runners was reaching new levels as 1925 began. The government had moved U.S. territorial waters outward from 3 to 12 miles, making it harder to operate outside of U.S. law. It had expanded the Coast Guard, providing it with new, faster patrol boats that were equipped with deck guns and wireless radio communication. The rum runners for their part also invested in bigger, faster boats and improved methods of hiding their contraband.