The United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) recently commended the Mexican Navy for its pivotal role in intercepting a semi-submersible vessel suspected of carrying drugs over 250 nautical miles south-southwest of Manzanillo port along the Pacific coast.
"Outstanding effort by our partners in Mexico to deliver a significant blow to drug cartels," SOUTHCOM tweeted on the social media platform X.
Furthermore, the Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South) expressed pride in supporting this crucial interception, highlighting it as "another example of regional partners collaborating to tackle transnational crime and enhance hemispheric safety."
Mexico's Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR) announced on social media that, following maritime surveillance operations, naval personnel secured a semi-submersible vessel with three crew members and over 170 packages of suspected illicit cargo.
The operation occurred in international waters, far from the Mexican coast. Unlike other operations by U.S. forces under Operation Southern Spear, this vessel was neither fired upon with explosive ammunition nor were there any casualties reported during the mission.
According to SEMAR, this marks the second successful maritime operation in the past ten days, demonstrating the ongoing effectiveness of efforts to uphold the rule of law and safeguard Mexican families.
This collaboration between Mexico and the United States comes amid a heightened U.S. military offensive against organizations labeled by Washington as transnational narco-terrorists.
Since September 2025, the Southern Command has been executing Operation Southern Spear, which has encompassed numerous lethal strikes against vessels on Caribbean and eastern Pacific maritime routes.
On February 16, under General Francis L. Donovan's command, the Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted three lethal kinetic strikes on vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations.
According to an official statement, eleven suspected narco-terrorists were killed in these actions: four in the first vessel in the eastern Pacific, four more in a second vessel in the same area, and three in a third intercepted in the Caribbean. No American casualties were reported.
Prior to this, on February 13, another Caribbean operation resulted in three deaths, while a February 9 attack in the eastern Pacific led to two deaths and one survivor, who was subsequently assisted by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Based on Pentagon releases, at least 144 individuals have died in 40 confirmed attacks since this campaign's inception. The administration of President Donald Trump has defended these operations as part of a strategy to disrupt key drug trafficking routes and exert a direct deterrent effect on the cartels.
Nevertheless, this escalation has sparked legal debates and concerns from human rights organizations, which caution against the lack of judicial processes and the absence of conclusive public evidence regarding the cargoes carried by the targeted vessels.
In this context, Mexico's active participation is notably significant. While the Mexican Navy has historically conducted anti-drug operations in its waters, the public and acknowledged coordination with SOUTHCOM underscores a deeper integration into Washington's hemispheric strategy.
The use of semi-submersible vessels, designed to evade radar and detection systems, has become a primary tactic for cartels to transport shipments from South America to Central and North America. These low-profile, hard-to-track ships present a persistent challenge to authorities.
With Mexico joining these operations and receiving U.S. operational support, pressure on maritime drug trafficking routes intensifies at a time when regional security is a top priority on the hemispheric agenda. The evolution of this cooperation and its diplomatic and legal repercussions will be pivotal in the coming weeks.
Key Aspects of U.S.-Mexico Maritime Drug Operations
What is Operation Southern Spear?
Operation Southern Spear is a military campaign by the U.S. Southern Command aimed at disrupting drug trafficking routes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific through lethal strikes on vessels associated with narco-terrorist organizations.
How does Mexico contribute to these operations?
Mexico contributes through its Navy's maritime surveillance and interception efforts, working in coordination with the U.S. to combat drug cartels and enhance regional security.
What challenges do semi-submersible vessels pose?
Semi-submersible vessels, used by drug cartels, are designed to evade radar and detection systems, making them difficult to track and intercept by authorities.