The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office urged states on Friday to respect international law in their actions against drug trafficking, following the Trump administration’s reported attack on a suspected “drug vessel” in the Caribbean Sea.

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In the operation, the US Department of Defense reported the deaths of eleven people, classified as “narco-terrorists.”

UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani stated in Geneva that drug trafficking does not justify the use of lethal force. “People should not be killed for using, trafficking, selling, or possessing drugs,” she said.

She also emphasized that the fight against drug trafficking must comply with the principles of legality, and officials are responsible for their application. “The intentional use of lethal force is only permitted as a last resort against an imminent threat to life,” Shamdasani stressed.

She also indicated that any death in such operations requires an independent, prompt, and transparent investigation.

The UN emphasized the need to respect human rights and the international legal framework in these operations.

The UN spokesperson’s statement comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. forces attacked a vessel in the southern Caribbean, allegedly originating from Venezuela and transporting drugs to the United States, resulting in the deaths of eleven people.

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