By Innovation Times Defense Desk
October 15, 2025 | Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump announced that U.S. naval forces destroyed another drug smuggling vessel off the coast of Venezuela, marking the latest operation in an ongoing crackdown on international narcotics trafficking in the Caribbean.
Speaking from the White House, Trump said the interdiction was part of a “zero-tolerance campaign against cartel activity and maritime drug routes”, highlighting the administration’s commitment to strengthening border and maritime security.
According to U.S. Southern Command, the boat was intercepted by a Navy destroyer and Coast Guard patrol team after being detected on radar approximately 120 miles northeast of Caracas. Officials said the crew of the vessel attempted to evade capture before U.S. forces fired warning shots and eventually destroyed the craft when it failed to comply.
“The traffickers were warned repeatedly,” a Pentagon spokesperson said. “The vessel posed a threat and was carrying a significant quantity of illegal narcotics believed to be bound for Central America.”
No U.S. personnel were injured during the incident, and authorities said the crew members aboard the smuggling boat were taken into custody. The operation is part of an intensified effort by U.S. forces to monitor trafficking routes used by organized criminal groups in the Caribbean and along the South American coast.
This marks the third smuggling vessel destroyed in the region within two months, as Washington increases pressure on transnational cartels and their networks operating out of Venezuela and Colombia.
Trump praised U.S. military and Coast Guard personnel for their actions, calling the mission “a complete success that sends a clear message to every cartel , we are coming for you.”
Analysts say the latest action underscores heightened U.S. attention on maritime drug routes amid rising tensions with Venezuela’s government, which has faced accusations of allowing traffickers to operate freely from its ports.
