From August 15 to August 28, 2026, the Dominican Republic and the United States led Operation Ultramar, an extensive counternarcotics initiative in the Central Caribbean. This operation utilized a combination of intelligence gathering, maritime patrol aircraft, surface vessels, and coordination with partner nations to disrupt the activities of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) involved in drug trafficking.
The operation aimed to increase pressure on TCOs that rely on maritime routes to transport illicit drugs from South America through the Caribbean. Colombia and the Netherlands contributed maritime surveillance resources, enhancing the multinational effort. By detecting and tracking suspicious vessels, sharing information in real-time, and deploying interceptors, the operation significantly hampered traffickers’ ability to operate unnoticed.
Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S) played a crucial role in the mission by facilitating intelligence fusion, operational planning, and real-time monitoring. This included utilizing the U.S. Ship Special Mission capability, which provided a platform for partner-nation teams and high-speed interceptor boats to conduct maritime interdiction actions.
American and Dominican forces collaborated extensively, with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and maritime patrol aircraft from both countries joining efforts. The Dominican security apparatus involved multiple agencies, including the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), Dominican Navy, Dominican Air Force, and state intelligence organizations, all working together to track, board, and seize contraband from suspected trafficking vessels.
Two major seizures occurred during the operation. On August 19, authorities intercepted a go-fast vessel more than 100 nautical miles south of the Dominican Republic, removing 1,399 kilograms of cocaine and over 22.5 kilograms of marijuana. Three suspected traffickers were taken into custody during this operation.
The following day, authorities detected another suspicious vessel 150 nautical miles southwest of Puerto Rico. After a coordinated response that included both Dominican and Colombian aircraft, law enforcement detained five suspects and seized 3,288 kilograms of cocaine. The smuggling vessel was noted to be unseaworthy and was subsequently sunk in accordance with safety protocols.
These interdictions not only disrupted the immediate trafficking operations but also increased the costs and uncertainties associated with maritime drug trafficking for criminal organizations. The DNCD remarked that the operation represented a significant setback for organized crime networks in the Caribbean.
Operation Ultramar also supports wider multifaceted strategies, such as Campaign MARTILLO, aimed at disrupting drug-trafficking networks across the region. The coordinated efforts of multiple nations highlight the Dominican Republic’s growing role as a partner in regional counternarcotics operations.
Through combined resources and operational strategies, this operation showcased the effectiveness of multinational collaboration in tackling drug trafficking, furthering both regional security objectives and the commitment to combat drug-related crimes.
