DEA finds U.S. drug-boat strikes did not curb cocaine supply

A confidential assessment by the Drug Enforcement Administration has concluded that a nearly yearlong U.S. military campaign targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels has failed to significantly reduce the flow of cocaine into the United States, despite killing more than 220 people. The findings challenge repeated public claims by President Donald Trump that the operation had drastically curtailed maritime smuggling.

The DEA analysis, which has not been publicly released, found that Operation Southern Spear has had little lasting impact on the availability, purity, or street price of cocaine in the U.S. market. While the military strikes, which began in September 2025, initially caused brief supply disruptions, investigators concluded that trafficking networks adapted quickly, allowing the illicit drug trade to recover.

According to the assessment, criminal organizations responded to the pressure by abandoning many of the high-speed "go-fast" boats targeted by U.S. forces. Instead, cartels shifted to using larger commercial vessels that operate closer to coastlines, where military engagement is less likely. They have also increasingly relied on aircraft departing from...