Cocaine Recovered After U.S. Navy Destroys Drug Speedboat in Caribbean
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - The Dominican Republic’s National Directorate for Drug Control announced today the recovery of 377 packages of cocaine from a speedboat destroyed by the U.S. Navy in a recent anti-narcotics operation. The incident is part of a controversial mission by the Trump administration targeting drug trafficking in the southern Caribbean.
Officials stated the vessel was destroyed approximately 80 nautical miles south of Isla Beata, a Dominican Republic island. The Dominican Republic Navy collaborated with U.S. authorities to locate the speedboat, which authorities allege was attempting to use the Dominican Republic as a transit point for cocaine destined for the United States.
“This is the first time in history that the United States and the Dominican Republic carry out a joint operation against narco terrorism in the Caribbean,” the directorate said in a statement.
The destroyed boat allegedly carried 1,000 kilos of cocaine. The U.S. Navy deployed eight warships and a submarine to the region in August as part of the administration’s efforts to combat drug trafficking. The White House reports the flotilla has destroyed three drug-carrying speedboats,resulting in more than a dozen fatalities.
The operations have drawn criticism from human rights groups, who allege extrajudicial killings. Democratic senators have introduced a resolution seeking to halt further strikes. The Trump administration claims at least two of the sunk vessels originated from Venezuela, with officials frequently accusing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a drug trafficking organization known as the Cartel of the Suns – charges Maduro denies, characterizing the U.S. naval presence as an attack on his country.
