Screenshot of a video from a US attack on suspected drug smugglers in February.Image: US Southern Command
April 16, 2026, 07:33April 16, 2026, 07:33
The US military has again attacked a suspected drug smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific, killing three men. According to intelligence findings, the boat was on a known drug trafficking route and was engaged in drug smuggling, the US regional command Southcom, which is responsible for the region, announced on the X platform. Just the day before, the US military announced the killing of four alleged drug smugglers, also in the Eastern Pacific.
Under orders from US President Donald Trump’s government, the military has been attacking boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific since last fall that are allegedly used to smuggle drugs into the United States. People also regularly die as a result.
The United States has a major drug problem that it blames on foreign smugglers. Critics doubt whether the deadly attacks in international waters are permissible under international law. (nil/sda/dpa)