In a decisive step against the maritime narcotics threat, the United States has carried out 15 airstrikes on 16 suspected smuggling vessels as of November 1, killing at least 64 suspected traffickers. The first strike, authorised on September 1, targeted a ship allegedly linked to Venezuela’s criminal organisation Tren de Aragua; that vessel reportedly had ties with the Colombian guerrilla group National Liberation Army (ELN).
At the heart of this campaign: artificial intelligence. US federal agencies are increasingly leaning on AI tools developed by maritime-intelligence company Windward to identify high-risk vessels. On July 14 the company’s “Early Detection” model flagged a 150 % spike in vessels deemed smuggling risks within the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). By August 11 the challenge was evident: over 5,488 vessels listed the United States as destination, a number too large for manual monitoring. Applying Windward’s “Smuggling Risk” model narrowed that to just 98 high- and moderate-risk vessels—making surveillance manageable.
Once vessels are flagged, US maritime forces—including the US Coast Guard—can better allocate assets. Among the tools in use is the missile-capable drone MQ‑9 Reaper, equipped with AI-enhanced target-tracking cameras and multiple-target tracking capabilities. According to a US Air Force spokesperson, the September 1 strike was carried out by either an MQ-9 or a military helicopter.
The shift reflects a new maritime doctrine. In its Force Design 2028 executive report, the US Coast Guard states that AI-enabled, integrated sensor networks and real-time data fusion will become foundational for surveillance, decision-making and workforce support.
The drugs intercepted are primarily cocaine—one vessel struck on September 19 yielded approximately 1,000 kg of cocaine packed in 337 packages—but fentanyl and other illicit substances are also trafficked via maritime routes.
This strategy underscores how the US views the maritime smuggling threat: not merely as a law-enforcement issue, but as a national-security concern involving “narco-terrorists” operating across continents and oceans. The integration of AI into this operational framework marks a significant development in how drug-trafficking networks are being challenged.
From the vantage of maritime law enforcement, the benefits of AI are clear: the overwhelming volume of vessel traffic makes manual review impractical. By flagging a small subset of high-risk vessels out of thousands, agencies can focus limited resources where they matter most. Meanwhile, drones and remote-sensing platforms provide reach and persistence in regions—such as the Caribbean and eastern Pacific—where smuggling networks rely on speedboats, semi-submersibles and unmarked bulk carriers.
Yet, the approach also raises questions. Reliance on AI means that algorithms and models determine what constitutes “risk” and who is watched. The accuracy, biases, transparency and oversight of such systems will matter for legal accountability and diplomatic implications—especially when strikes occur in international waters or trigger unintended casualties. The broader geopolitical dimension is also present: the same technology enabling this campaign is part of a $3.5 billion contract under which India will receive 31 MQ-9B drones by 2030.
For journalists tracking this field, the story offers multiple angles: how AI is transforming maritime intelligence; how multi-domain operations (sea, air, unmanned systems) are being synchronized; how global drug networks evade interception; and how international maritime law and human-rights concerns evolve alongside technology and enforcement. For you as a reporter, these themes might connect to investigative threads on arms transfer, drone proliferation, and the war on drugs as a broader security narrative.
