U.S. Launches New Strike On Drug Ship In Caribbean Sea
- 21.09.2025, 20:55
A boat carrying about a ton of cocaine was destroyed off the coast of the Dominican Republic.
The United States and the Dominican Republic have for the first time conducted a joint operation to combat drug trafficking in the Caribbean region, Carlos Devers of the Dominican National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) said at a press conference, Listin Diario.
A speedboat, which intelligence reports said was carrying drugs and headed to the Dominican Republic to smuggle the substances to the United States through it, was discovered 80 nautical miles (about 148 kilometers) south of the republic. The Dominican Republic was warned of the vessel's illegal entry. U.S. military aircraft struck the boat, destroying it.
The U.S. Navy and DNCD team seized 13 bales containing 377 packages wrapped in duct tape and bearing various logos. In total, they contained about a ton of cocaine. At the same time, 60 of the bags found were destroyed in the explosion of the boat, Devers noted.
Dominican authorities are investigating to identify those responsible for drug trafficking.
The side where Dominican authorities say they found the drug boat is Venezuela. In August, the U.S. sent seven ships with 4,500 personnel to its shores, including three guided-missile destroyers and at least one attack submarine. Earlier in the month, The New York Times reported that U.S. President Donald Trump secretly signed a directive for the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American drug cartels.
With that background, Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro announced a nationwide mobilization for the Bolivarian National Militia. In September, Trump reported three strikes on ships from Venezuela carrying drugs to the U.S. in international waters. On Sept. 2, an operation by U.S. forces killed 11 members of the Venezuelan drug cartel Tren de Aragua, which Washington listed as a terrorist organization in February.
Trump claimed the group operates "under the control" of Maduro. U.S. authorities accuse the Venezuelan president of drug trafficking, with a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
September 16, Trump announced a new U.S. strike on a drug ship in international waters and the deaths of three "narco-terrorists." On Sept. 20, he announced a strike on a drug trafficking-linked ship and the deaths of three "narco-terrorists" on board.
Maduro, after the first destruction of a ship from Venezuela, called what was happening the most serious threat of U.S. invasion in a century. According to him, World War III has begun and the U.S. has a plan for it. Maduro also announced the launch of a new defense plan for the country.
September 21, the NYT reported that the White House is pushing a bill that would expand the president's military powers - to the point of authorizing strikes against people he considers "narco-terrorists" and countries he believes support drug cartels.