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US Strikes Drug Boat, Marks New Counter-Narcotics Effort

10/23/2025

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Center

U.S. Strikes Drug Vessel

The United States struck an alleged drug boat in the Pacific, killing two people.
It was the first operation there since September and part of a broader counter-narcotics effort.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says drug cartels pose a threat akin to terrorism.
The United States has launched eight strikes against suspected drug vessels recently, focusing on cocaine routes to the United States, while tensions persist with Colombia's Gustavo Petro.

Left

Coast Guard Battles Traffickers

The Ecuadorian coast guard faces ongoing challenges in countering drug trafficking as smugglers outpace law enforcement.
Despite seizures of vessels, including submarines, the coast guard commander says cocaine trafficking continues.
Ecuador, near Colombia, has become a key player in the global cocaine trade, with 70% of the world’s supply passing through.
The rise of gangs such as Los Lobos increases risk for Ecuador and keeps the coast guard commander wary.

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U.S. Strikes Drug Vessel

The United States struck an alleged drug boat in the Pacific, killing two people.
It was the first operation there since September and part of a broader counter-narcotics effort.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says drug cartels pose a threat akin to terrorism.
The United States has launched eight strikes against suspected drug vessels recently, focusing on cocaine routes to the United States, while tensions persist with Colombia's Gustavo Petro.

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