Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleAlex WoodwardMonday 27 July 2026 18:54 BSTTraffickers are using planes, larger boats and sailing close to coastlines as cocaine production in South America ramps up (US Southern Command)U.S. airstrikes targeting suspected drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean have killed at least 221 people.Despite these attacks, the Trump administration has reportedly admitted that the flow of cocaine into the U.S. has not slowed.Drug traffickers are adapting by using planes, larger vessels and navigating closer to coastlines to avoid U.S. interdiction, according to The Washington Post.Internal assessments from the DEA and statements from military officials, including the commander overseeing the campaign, indicate the strikes are not effectively combating drug flow.Human rights experts and groups criticize the strikes as extrajudicial killings and war crimes, raising concerns about their legality and impact on U.S. democratic principles.In fullHegseth’s 67 deadly drug boat strikes have not stopped cocaine from flooding into the US. Trump’s own DEA says so: reportMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in