Dominican Republic confirms U.S. strike on drug boat near its coast

The Dominican Republic confirmed that U.S. forces carried out an airstrike on a drug boat off its southern coast, marking the third strike in Washington’s anti-trafficking campaign in the Caribbean.

Carlos Devers, spokesperson for the Dominican Republic’s National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), said Sunday that the operation targeted a speedboat carrying about 1,000 kilograms of suspected cocaine.

Devers said authorities seized 377 packages of the substance about 80 nautical miles south of Isla Beata in Pedernales province.

Devers spoke at a press conference with a U.S. Embassy official, who confirmed the strike was the same incident referenced by President Donald Trump on Friday.

Trump released video of the strike on Truth Social, he did not specify the boat’s origin, but a source told AFP the vessel had departed from Venezuela.

Nearly a month ago, the United States deployed warships to the Caribbean to crack down on drug trafficking. U.S. forces have since destroyed at least three boats near Venezuela, leaving at least 17 people dead.

The U.S. recently designated Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization, accusing it of mass murder, drug trafficking, and sex trafficking under the control of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro has responded by accusing Washington of threats of “bombs, death and blackmail” and announced the mobilization of 2.5 million personnel, including military and militia forces.