High Seas, High Stakes: What International Law Says About Attacking Drug Vessels

Since early September, at least 61 individuals have lost their lives in 14 U.S. military strikes targeting boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. President Donald Trump has asserted that he is combatting “narcoterrorists” endangering American lives through harmful substances, while the administration notified Congress that the U.S. is engaged in "armed conflict" with South American drug cartels.Critically, Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona labeled these strikes as “sanctioned murder.” Conversely, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky characterized them as “extrajudicial killings” due to the lack of evidence supporting the administration’s claims about the identities of those aboard the boats.Legal scholars have diverged in opinion about the lawfulness of these actions, emphasizing that such strikes may not align with legal standards. This scrutiny invites further examination of the strike targets, the illicit drug trafficking landscape, and expert interpretations surrounding the legality of the Trump administration's intensified war on drugs.