U.S. Military Takes Action Against Drug Traffickers
WASHINGTON – The U.S. military announced Friday it carried out a strike against a vessel involved in drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This is another step taken to stop illegal drugs from entering our country.
According to U.S. Southern Command, the boat was being used for “narco-trafficking operations.” The strike resulted in two deaths, and one person survived. The Coast Guard was called to begin search and rescue efforts.
A video shared online shows a boat moving before it is engulfed in flames. The U.S. military has recently focused on stopping illegal activities connected to Venezuela.
Since September, there have been 36 known strikes against boats suspected of drug smuggling in South American waters. These actions have resulted in at least 117 deaths. Most of these strikes have happened in the Caribbean Sea.
The last reported strikes occurred in late December, when the military said it hit five boats thought to be smuggling drugs over two days. Eight people were killed, and others jumped into the water. The Coast Guard later stopped its search.
President Trump has said that these strikes against smugglers are greatly helping to slow down drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
“We’ve stopped — virtually stopped almost 100% of all drugs coming in by water,” Trump said. The U.S. remains committed to securing our borders and stopping the flow of illegal drugs into our communities.
