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The US military is creating a new counter-narcotics joint task force to oversee operations in Latin America, as lethal strikes against boats alleged to be carrying drugs bound for the US continue.
In a post on X, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the task force would “crush the cartels, stop the poison, and keep America safe.”
“The message is clear: if you traffic drugs toward our shores, we will stop you cold,” he added.
So far, the US military has blown up at least four boats, all believed to be from Venezuela, killing over 20 people.
The creation of a new task force, under the leadership of II Marine Expeditionary Force, will “synchronize and augment counter-narcotics efforts across the Western Hemisphere,” according to US Military Southern Command, and could see strikes against targets on land, including in Venezuela.
“By forming a (task force) around II MEF headquarters, we enhance our ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle illicit trafficking networks faster and at greater depth – together with our U.S. and partner-nation counterparts,” Admiral Alvin Holsey, who leads Southern Command, said in a statement.
President Trump has suggested that sites associated with the drug trade, including laboratories, could be legitimate targets for the US military.
In a statement, Marine Lieutenant General Calvert Worth, who leads the II MEF and will head the task force, said the focus would remain on operations at sea.
“This is principally a maritime effort, and our team will leverage maritime patrols, aerial surveillance, precision interdictions, and intelligence sharing to counter illicit traffic, uphold the rule of law, and ultimately better protect vulnerable communities here at home.”
Last week, the Pentagon told Congress the President has determined the US is in a “non-international armed conflict” with the drug cartels.
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