EASTERN PACIFIC — U.S. Southern Command carried out a strike against a vessel operating in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on April 24. The craft was moving along established maritime routes associated with narcotics trafficking when two males aboard the vessel were killed with no U.S. military personnel harmed.
According to the Command the action was carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear at the direction of commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan after intelligence confirmed the vessel’s location along trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific, and was involved in “narco-trafficking operations’”.
Official Statements
U.S. Southern Command Press Release, April 24: “On April 24, at the direction of the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.”
CARIBBEAN SEA - Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere carried out a lethal kinetic strike on September 9 against a go-fast vessel, a small high-speed boat, on routes the command called established narco-trafficking lanes in the Caribbean.
EASTERN PACIFIC - U.S. Southern Command said Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere forces on September 7 interdicted a vessel the command described as a floating refueling station supporting at-sea drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific.
EASTERN PACIFIC - On August 23, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere carried out a strike on a low-profile vessel operating along routes SOUTHCOM described as established narco-trafficking routes, according to U.S. Southern Command.
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