Chicago – November 11, 2025
The United Kingdom has suspended sharing intelligence with the United States regarding suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean, marking a significant break in cooperation between close allies. This move arises from UK concerns that intelligence shared with the US may be used to carry out lethal military strikes, which British officials deem unlawful under international law.
For years, the UK helped the US by identifying suspected drug-smuggling ships based on intelligence gathered from its Caribbean territories, enabling the US Coast Guard to intercept and board these vessels. However, since September, the US shifted from interdiction to military strikes that have killed 76 people, prompting the UK to halt intelligence sharing over fears of complicity in what it calls extrajudicial killings.
The UK aligns with the UN rights chief’s view that such US strikes violate international law. Despite US claims that the actions comply with the Law of Armed Conflict and that drug cartels qualify as enemy combatants, legal experts and some US military lawyers have raised doubts about the legality of the campaign.
Canada has also distanced itself from the US military strikes while continuing cooperation in intercepting drug traffickers. The UK’s decision is a noteworthy diplomatic signal, emphasizing legal concerns about the US approach in the Caribbean amid ongoing counter-narcotics efforts.
