(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces have destroyed a drug-trafficking submarine in the Caribbean, describing the vessel as purpose-built for transporting large volumes of narcotics. The strike is part of a wider U.S. campaign targeting alleged cartel operations in the region, particularly those linked to Venezuela.

“We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs,” Trump told reporters during a briefing at the White House on Friday. “Just so you understand, this was not an innocent group of people,” he added, underscoring that the operation was aimed at organized criminal activity.

The statement follows reports of at least five surface vessels being intercepted or destroyed by U.S. forces since September. These ships were allegedly controlled by cartels operating out of Venezuela—a country Trump has repeatedly accused of supporting what he calls “narcoterrorists.”

For the first time, according to U.S. media, Navy forces recovered multiple survivors from such an operation and brought them aboard a warship for detention. Details about the specific identity of the detainees or their fate have not been publicly released.

Trump has previously acknowledged authorizing clandestine CIA missions inside Venezuela, though he has avoided confirming whether these operations are designed to remove the country's leftist president, Nicolás Maduro. During his administration, Washington placed sweeping sanctions on Venezuela and officially designated Maduro as illegitimate, while increasing the reward for his capture to $50 million.

In response, Maduro has dismissed accusations of drug cartel involvement and criticized what he refers to as foreign interventionism. “Until when will CIA coups d’état continue? Latin America doesn’t want them, doesn’t need them, and repudiates them,” he stated in a recent address, rejecting allegations that his government is colluding with traffickers or insurgent groups.

Venezuelan authorities continue to deny any ties to organized drug operations and have pledged to resist any attempts at foreign military intervention. Meanwhile, tensions in the Caribbean remain high, with both sides trading accusations of destabilization and covert warfare.

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