President Donald J. Trump announced Saturday that United States of America Forces destroyed a “drug-carrying submarine” that was allegedly en route to the United States along a known narcotrafficking transit route.
In a post on his social platform alongside Video of the strike, the President said U.S. intelligence assessed the vessel was loaded mainly with fentanyl and other illegal narcotics.
According to the President’s statement, four suspected “narcoterrorists” were aboard the submersible.
Two of the criminal suspects were killed in the strike while two others survived the intelligence operation.
The male survivors, according to the president are being returned to their countries of origin; Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution.
Trump also said no U.S. forces were harmed during the operation and framed the strike as part of his administration’s effort to prevent the trafficking of illegal drugs into the United States.
The operation comes amid a series of recent U.S. maritime actions in the Caribbean and southern Caribbean basin that the administration characterizes as efforts to disrupt drug shipments and the activities of designated narcotics networks.
The strikes and the administration’s legal rationale for using military force in some interdictions have drawn both domestic and international attention and prompted questions about oversight and the treatment of suspects captured during such operations.
READ FULL STATEMENT
It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well known narcotrafficking transit route.
U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics. There were four known narcoterrorists on board the vessel.
Two of the terrorists were killed. At least 25,000 Americans would die if I allowed this submarine to come ashore.
The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their Countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution.
No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Under my watch, the United States of America will not tolerate narcoterrorists trafficking illegal drugs, by land or by sea. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”, according to President Trump.
