US strikes suspected drug trafficking vessel in Caribbean

The United States Armed Forces have carried out a strike on a vessel suspected of being used for drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea, according to officials.

The operation was confirmed by United States Southern Command in a post on X, where it said the targeted boat had been identified through intelligence as part of known narcotics smuggling routes.

According to the statement, three people were killed in the strike.

The mission was conducted on 19 April under the direction of SOUTHCOM commander Francis Donovan. It involved the Joint Interagency Task Force South, also known as “Southern Spear,” which focuses on counter-narcotics operations in the region.

“Intelligence data confirmed that the vessel was travelling along established drug trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was being used for narcotics transport,” the statement said.

No further details have been released about the identities of those killed or the specific location of the operation.

The Caribbean region is a major transit corridor for illicit drugs moving from South America to North America and Europe, and US authorities regularly conduct operations aimed at disrupting trafficking networks.