US expands drug trafficking crackdown with deadly Pacific strike

Thursday 23 October 2025 - 09:20

By: Dakir Madiha

US expands drug trafficking crackdown with deadly Pacific strike

The US military executed its eighth strike against a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two individuals onboard. This marks the first such operation targeting a suspected drug smuggling vessel in the Pacific, following seven previous strikes in the Caribbean Sea. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the news, signaling an expansion of the Trump administration’s campaign against narcotics networks in Latin America.

The operation took place on Tuesday night, targeting a small vessel reportedly operated by a designated terrorist organization involved in drug smuggling along a known trafficking route. Since the campaign began last month, at least 34 people have been killed in these military strikes.

A video released by the Department of Defense shows a small boat laden with brown packages moving through the water before it explodes. Hegseth likened the actions of drug cartels to those of terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, emphasizing that such groups pose a direct threat to American borders and citizens. He vowed relentless pursuit, stating, “There will be no refuge or forgiveness, only justice.”

The Trump administration has legally justified these strikes by classifying drug cartels as unlawful combatants, enabling military actions without the need for judicial approval. However, critics have raised concerns about the lack of legal oversight in these lethal operations.

In previous strikes, two survivors were returned to Colombia and Ecuador. One Ecuadorian survivor was later released by authorities due to insufficient evidence for prosecution. The latest strike further underscores a shift in the administration’s approach, using military force to disrupt cocaine trafficking routes, especially those originating in Colombia, a major hub for the production and export of narcotics.