Comment by fatbird

Because it's very doubtful they're actually transporting drugs at all. The US has presented no evidence of it, and they're well practiced at stopping, boarding, and searching such boats. They could do that here, perp-walk the guilty crew, and photograph them in front of barrels of illegal drugs, but instead they just blow them up and say "trust us". The boats aren't even capable of reaching the US. When they've picked up survivors, they're repatriated them rather than take them to the US for trial.

Also, "narco-terrorist" is a nonsense designation meant to allow the US to apply GWOT methods and tactics against drug traffickers.