London, November 12, 2025 – Total News Agency-TNA – The United Kingdom government has decided to suspend the exchange of intelligence information with the United States regarding vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean, due to concerns that British intelligence was being used for Washington's military attacks that could violate international law.
Since September, however, Washington changed course and began launching lethal attacks against the vessels, which raised alarm in London over the use of British data for military target selection. From the British perspective, the provision of intelligence carries the obligation that it be used for control and detention functions, and not for operations that violate human rights or military actions without judicial oversight.
According to reports obtained by this medium, the measure was adopted after the U.S. carried out at least 14 attacks on vessels suspected of trafficking drugs since September, in which at least 70 fatalities were counted. "We do not want to be accomplices," official sources emphasized.
The cooperation between the two countries is part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence pact, which includes a fluid exchange dating back to World War II.
The usual operation consisted of the United Kingdom, with a presence in various Caribbean territories, facilitating the detection of vessels through its intelligence systems, which were then intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard. Since September, however, Washington changed course and initiated lethal attacks against the vessels, generating alarm in London over the use of British data for military target selection.
From a British perspective, the provision of intelligence carries the obligation that it be used for control and detention functions, and not for operations that violate human rights or military actions without judicial oversight. The UK's decision to partially curb that flow could have effects on other areas of bilateral cooperation, beyond the fight against drug trafficking.
The regional context adds complexity: U.S. military attacks, although with reservations on security. For Washington, this suspension represents a diplomatic setback. The government's spokesperson responded that "we do not comment on intelligence matters" but pointed out that the UK remains a U.S. ally. This break with its closest partner marks an unusual distancing in defense and intelligence matters.
Some analysts estimate that the UK is evaluating legal risks if its assets or intelligence were to be linked to deaths without judicial process. The U.S. government, for its part, has not offered an official version on the British suspension.
For the U.S., it means a need to rethink its alliance strategy and show compliance with international norms if it intends to retain traditional allies. The British decision could also open a line of reflection for other allied countries that collaborate in joint operations against drug trafficking: indirect participation in lethal actions may represent a reputational or legal risk for those who provide information or logistical access.
