Four alleged drug traffickers were killed this Wednesday following a U.S. military attack in international waters of the Eastern Pacific.
The operation, carried out under the orders of President Donald Trump, targeted a vessel identified as a narcolancha and linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO), as detailed by the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth.
The announcement was made by Hegseth himself through his official account on X, where he stated that it was a “lethal kinetic attack” carried out by the forces of the Department of War.
According to the official report, the target was a vessel previously identified by U.S. intelligence services as being involved in the illegal drug trade.
The narco boat was moving along a "known drug trafficking route," and at the time of the attack, it was "transporting narcotics."
The impact caused the complete explosion of the vessel, and the death of the four crew members, classified by authorities as “male narcoterrorists,” has been confirmed who died during the attack, which took place in international waters.
Hegseth emphasized that no members of the U.S. forces were injured and stressed that these types of operations are part of an expanded strategy to combat transnational drug trafficking.
Hegseth's post was accompanied by a 22-second video showing a boat speeding at full throttle receiving an explosive impact in the middle of the ocean.
Although exact coordinates were not provided, it is known that the operation took place in the Eastern Pacific, in what is presumed to be a common route used by speedboats coming from the Venezuelan or Colombian coasts.
The twelfth operation: An ongoing campaign
With this attack, there have been a total of twelve similar operations so far this year under the Trump administration.
The toll, so far, amounts to 61 presumed drug traffickers killed, according to official figures.
Just the previous Monday, 14 people lost their lives in similar actions.
The U.S. armed forces have chosen a policy of direct confrontation, without judicial mediation, which has sparked criticism from various sectors.
While the U.S. government argues that these actions aim to protect its territory from the influx of illegal drugs, lawmakers and analysts have expressed concern over the lack of judicial processes confirming the guilt of those targeted.
“The western hemisphere is no longer a safe haven for the narco-terrorists who bring drugs to our shores to poison Americans,” declared Hegseth.
And he concluded: "The Department of War will continue to seek them out and eliminate them wherever they operate."
From the Executive's point of view, these actions are justified under the principle of national security and the war on drug trafficking.
For its critics, however, these are extrajudicial executions that pave the way for potential abuse of power.
The series of attacks indicates an increasingly aggressive pattern, with preventive actions being carried out without warning and without the prior capture of those allegedly involved.
Context: drug trafficking and designation as OTD
The inclusion of drug trafficking groups on the list of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. has been crucial in justifying direct military action.
This classification allows operations to be carried out without the need for prior judicial mediation, as they are considered direct threats to national security.
While the official statement does not identify the group to which this latest vessel belongs, unofficial sources have indicated in previous operations possible connections with Venezuelan cartels or Colombian dissidents, who operate with maritime logistics offshore to evade radar tracking.
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