US won't say how it knows drug-boat strikes are working

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump's administration says maritime strikes cut drug trafficking by up to 98%, but Southern Command won't release the internal metrics it uses to evaluate the operation's effectiveness, citing security reasons.

The Department of War has killed 221 people in 66 strikes since September, a Southern Command official said. The government has obligated at least $820.9 million to Operation Southern Spear through June 30, according to the most recent report by the Department of War's lead inspector general. That figure reflects only what Southern Command has obligated, not the campaign's full cost.