On the 14th, U.S. President Trump posted on social media stating that the U.S. military had once again sunk a 'drug trafficking boat' in international waters near the coast of Venezuela that day, resulting in the death of 6 people.
This marks the fifth time since September that the Trump administration has announced a military action against 'drug trafficking boats' in the international waters off the coast of Venezuela. So far, it claims to have destroyed five so-called 'drug-carrying boats' and killed 27 'drug traffickers.'
In his post, Trump said intelligence had confirmed that at the time of the incident, the sunken vessel was trafficking drugs near the Venezuelan coast and was linked to 'illegal drug terrorism networks.'
He referred to the deceased as 'drug terrorists' but did not specify which drug trafficking group they belonged to.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration submitted a memorandum to Congress, stating that the United States is 'in a non-international armed conflict' with drug trafficking groups that the U.S. recognizes as terrorist organizations. The memorandum did not specify which drug trafficking groups were involved, nor did it clarify how individuals are determined to be members of such groups.