US military deploying forces to southern Caribbean against drug groups
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Mexican law enforcement agents escort prisoners wanted in the US for ties to drug-trafficking groups into a plane.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – The United States has ordered the deployment of US air and naval forces to the Southern Caribbean Sea to address threats from Latin American drug cartels, two sources briefed on the decision told Reuters on Aug 14.
The sources had few details of the operation, but President Donald Trump has wanted to use the military
Mr Trump has made cracking down on drug cartels a central goal of his administration, part of a wider effort to limit migration and secure the US southern border.
The Trump administration in recent months has already deployed at least two warships to help in border security efforts and drug trafficking.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Defence Department has begun ordering the deployment of US air and naval forces to the Southern Caribbean Sea.
“This deployment is aimed at addressing threats to US national security from specially designated narco-terrorist organisations in the region,” one of the sources said.
The Trump administration designated Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and other drug gangs, as well as Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, as global terrorist organisations in February, as Mr Trump stepped up immigration enforcement against alleged gang members.
The US military has already been increasing its airborne surveillance of Mexican drug cartels to collect intelligence to determine how to best counter their activities.
Mr Trump has previously offered to send US troops to Mexico to help combat drug trafficking, an offer Mexico says it has refused.
