During the coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, President Trump discussed significant advancements in the fight against drug cartels, announcing a new “counternarcotics operation” that will be deploying destroyers, Air Force planes, and helicopters to the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the Carribean Sea.

“Today, the United States is launching enhanced counter narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to protect the American people from the deadly scourge of illegal narcotics,” he said.

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President Trump made the announcement of the new military operation while appearing with Attorney General Bill Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and a number of other high ranking military officials.

While speaking on the details of the operation, President Trump explained that it is intended to "combat the flow of illicit drugs into the United States,” adding that the drug cartels were “exploiting” and taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to smuggle more drugs into the country.

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"We must not let the drug cartels exploit the pandemic to threaten American lives," Trump said. "In cooperation with the 22 partner nations, U.S. Southern Command will increase surveillance, disruption and seizures of drug shipments and provide additional support for eradication efforts, which are going on right now at a record pace."

Included in the force package are Navy destroyers, combat ships, Air Force surveillance planes and helicopters, and ten Coast Guard cutter ships, Trump said, noting that the new forces would double U.S. interdiction capacity in the region -- and help slow the spread of the coronavirus by reducing illicit travel.

The nation's highest ranking military officer, Mark Milley, issued a statement saying he had received intelligence that drug cartels were actively trying to “take advantage” of the pandemic in the United States.

"We came upon some intelligence some time ago that the drug cartels as a result of COVID-19 were gonna try to take advantage of the situation and try to infiltrate additional drugs into our country," he said.

"As we know, 70,000 Americans die on an average annual basis to drugs. That's unacceptable. We're at war with COVID-19, we're at war with terrorists, and we are at war with the drug cartels, as well."

The military officer finished with a bold warning for the individuals who are trying to exploit the pandemic for smuggling drugs across the border.

"This is the United States military. You will not penetrate this country...You are not going to come in here and kill additional Americans."

This sudden military advancement is a strong step forward in the fight against the drug cartels who are trying to take advantage of the United States when it is the most vulnerable, and it sends a strong message to those who are planning to do so in the future.

What are your thoughts on this announcement from President Trump? Let us know in the comments below!

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