The U.S. strikes against drug-trafficking vessels may constitute crimes against humanity, UN warns

The latest U.S. military operations targeting vessels linked to drug trafficking in international waters in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean violate international law and, according to a new report, could constitute crimes against humanity. The warning was issued by Ben Saul, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism.

The document’s data show that over a one-year period, from September 2025 to August 2026, U.S. forces struck 68 maritime vessels in waters outside national jurisdictions, resulting in the deaths of at least 223 people.

Washington has justified these interventions as necessary self-defense measures against groups it labels “narco-terrorists.” President Donald Trump has informed Congress that these actions are being carried out as part of a state of war with organizations designated as terrorist by the United States.

However, the UN expert rejects this legal argument. The report states that the U.S. operations conflict with international law, violate the fundamental right to life and “credibly may reach the threshold of crimes against humanity.” Saul argues that narcotics-trafficking activity does not qualify as an “armed attack” under the narrow legal definition that would authorize the U.S. to use lethal force in self-defense.

The document also points to a lack of sufficient factual evidence to support the claim that some of the groups designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S., such as Tren de Aragua, operated as an armed structure under the authority of the Venezuelan state. Moreover, the report notes that less-lethal alternatives existed, such as intercepting and inspecting vessels at sea. It also refers to statements by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had acknowledged that such maritime interventions were feasible.

The analysis emphasizes that the use of lethal force must be considered a last resort, applicable only in response to a direct threat to life. According to Saul’s findings, this strict standard was not met in any of the incidents reviewed.

Going further, the report suggests that the killings carried out may satisfy the legal elements of murder as a crime against humanity because they were committed systematically, as part of a well-organized state policy, and claimed an exceptionally high number of victims.

As a result, Ben Saul strongly urges the U.S. administration to launch full investigations, prosecute those responsible—including political officials and military commanders who issued the orders—and ensure financial compensation for the victims’ families.

The publication came at a sensitive time, just two days after the U.S. military itself reported that four people had been killed during an attack on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea.

Beyond the issue of legality, the report also casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of the military campaign in the fight against drug trafficking. It notes that the quantities of cocaine seized at U.S. border points have remained relatively unchanged, while a large volume of narcotics entering the country is transported on large commercial vessels, which are rarely inspected, rather than on the small boats that are the main targets of these strikes.

Another notable shortcoming is that the operations have done nothing to address the devastating fentanyl and opioid crisis. These substances are rarely shipped from Venezuela by sea, but they are nevertheless the dominant cause of the overdose epidemic in the United States.

The expert also warns that eliminating low-level figures in the trafficking hierarchy, such as boat operators, could seriously undermine long-term investigations aimed at targeting cartel leaders and completely dismantling criminal networks.

Finally, the report reveals that by mid-2026, the cost of these military operations had reached the staggering sum of approximately $4.7 billion. Saul suggests that these vast funds would have had a much greater impact if they had been directed toward strengthening law enforcement, public health programs and development initiatives.