كيف تحايلت عصابات المخدرات على السفن الحربية؟

In a qualitative military operation, a U.S. warplane bombed a speedboat near the shores of the Dominican Republic, resulting in the deaths of three people and scattering hundreds of packages of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. The packages, washed ashore, were carefully wrapped and bore a striking brand label "MEN," as if they were a luxury consumer product rather than a deadly poison.

Cocaine Washes Ashore

In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, residents were shocked when police found packages wrapped in ropes, some placed inside bags bearing fake vitamin labels from "Colombian manufacturing." It was a scene that these tourist beaches had never witnessed before, but it has become more frequent with the escalation of military campaigns in the region.

From Sea to Air!

With warships spreading across the Caribbean, smuggling gangs have changed their strategies. Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have recorded a significant increase in the number of illegal flights coming from Colombia, which drop drugs in open waters to be later picked up by yachts and large commercial ships that are difficult for radars to track.

Smuggling in Vegetables and Fruits

In Jamaica, gangs have started smuggling smaller and more dispersed quantities, often within food shipments, to minimize losses when seized. An officer in the anti-drug unit revealed to The Telegraph that "the methods have become more cunning... we are no longer just talking about boats, but about clever disguises in commercial shipments."

175,000 Kilograms in a Year

According to data from the U.S. Coast Guard, approximately 193 tons of cocaine were seized at sea during a single fiscal year, a third of which was in the Caribbean. With Colombian production on the rise, it seems that the "cartels" are seeking alternative ways to smuggle this massive quantity into global markets such as Europe, Australia, and South Africa.

Are the Strikes Effective?

Since September, the Trump administration has announced the destruction of four speedboats and the killing of 21 people in air operations, and despite justifying this by linking the gangs to "terrorism," experts warn of a clear violation of international law. Worse still... the majority of drug-related deaths in the United States are due to fentanyl, not the cocaine being smuggled through the Caribbean.

The End of Gang Control

The drug "cartels" are no longer centralized entities as they were during Pablo Escobar's time. They now distribute tasks among scattered groups: from farming, through storage, to transportation, and even logistics. This fragmentation increases the difficulty of dismantling criminal networks and provides them with tactical flexibility against U.S. military pressures.

The Scene Now

The Caribbean has powerfully returned to the global smuggling map, driven by excess cocaine production and high demand in Western markets. While Washington boasts about airstrikes, the gangs adapt and continue smuggling in smarter and more evasive ways.