I've been asked a question by a Conservative friend who thinks that the Trump administration is simply destroying boats in international waters without knowing for sure that they are indeed drug boats. He doesn't have a great understanding of the military or intelligence-gathering abilities we have in the US.
I suspect that these boats are identified through a combination of HUMINT (people on the ground), satellite and drone monitoring, use of FLIR imaging, and interception of communications by the drug lords... but I can't prove any of this.
Anyone here know how we know that these boats are narco-shipments and not innocent fishermen or pleasure craft?
We know every step of the way. Both military and contractors. I was part of a team that bid on the two big contracts that the government puts out. I know one badass woman that was Humint (retired). I was the guy that came up with the HITRON program. Where a sniper in a Coast Guard helicopter would shoot out their engines. The SECDEF had to approve every shot, but it was very streamlined. After a while, if the bad guys saw the helicopter, they would lay on top of the engines because someone let them know what the ROE was. I like this plan much better. 😎😎😎