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The US Navy's P-8A Poseidon, used for anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance, was spotted circling over a drug-smuggling hotspot.
On Monday, the advanced patrol jet, identified by its Mode-S hex code AE6881, was tracked conducting intricate loops off the Baja California coast, raising speculation about a targeted operation against illicit trafficking routes.
The P-8A, likely operated by a squadron based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, took off between 07:15 and 07:30am ET.
Flight tracking data showed the aircraft flew through Oregon and through California before making several looping patterns near the US-Mexico maritime boundary, a region notorious for drug smuggling from Mexico into California.
The P-8A is fitted with advanced sensors, allowing it to detect surface and subsurface targets, making it ideal for monitoring suspicious vessels.
The US Navy has not officially commented on the flight’s purpose, but the timing aligns with heightened security concerns along the southwestern border.
Mexican drug trafficking organizations, particularly powerful groups like the Sinaloa Cartel, exploit the vast maritime boundary for smuggling illicit drugs such as cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana into the US.
Monday's operation follows earlier Navy announcements that P-8A aircraft would patrol near the southern coastline to support anti-smuggling missions.
Flight tracking data spotted the US Navy's P-8A Poseidon making a trip from Washington to the US-Mexico boundary, which is known as a drug-smuggling hotspot
The P-8A Poseidon can reach altitudes of up to 41,000 feet and fly at speeds of nearly 565 miles per hour. It was seen making the same trip on October 3
The flight path off the Southern California coast extended toward Baja California and Ensenada, Mexico.
The boundary starts near San Diego-Tijuana and stretches westward about 352 miles into the Pacific, separating territorial seas and exclusive economic zones of both countries, as defined by treaties from 1970, 1976, and 1978.
The P-8A Poseidon can reach altitudes of up to 41,000 feet and fly at speeds of nearly 565 miles per hour.
Equipped with an in-flight refueling system, the aircraft can stay airborne for long stretches, allowing it to patrol vast ocean regions for both military and humanitarian missions.
A proven workhorse, the P-8 fleet includes 174 aircraft that have logged more than 700,000 flight hours worldwide.
Each aircraft is built to last 25 years and endure 25,000 flight hours in harsh maritime conditions, including operations in freezing environments.
The P-8A integrates advanced weapons and mission systems designed for maximum interoperability across modern battlefields.
Built to adapt, the P-8’s open mission architecture allows for quick upgrades and the integration of new technologies to meet evolving threats, according to Boeing, the aircraft's maker.
Flight tracking data showed the aircraft flew through Oregon and through California before making several looping patterns near the US-Mexico maritime boundary, a region notorious for drug smuggling from Mexico into California
The aircraft was seen on October 3 making the same journey from Whidbey Island to the US-Mexico maritime boundary, which followed another trip in September.
The area is known as Sinaloa Cartel territory, which is considered one of the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organizations in the Western Hemisphere.
The rise of drugs in America led President Donald Trump to place 25 percent tariffs in February on imports from Mexico, saying it was necessary to stop illegal immigrants and narcotics from crossing the border.
After high-level talks, including Mexico’s extradition of 29 cartel leaders, the administration granted temporary pauses on the tariffs, delaying full enforcement until March 4.
In April 2025, Trump expanded the policy, adding a 10 percent global reciprocal tariff aimed at narrowing trade deficits, while maintaining Mexico’s rate at its existing baseline. Exemptions remained in place for USMCA members and critical industries.
By July, tensions escalated as a 30 percent add-on tariff was proposed on July 12 but suspended later that month for 90 days after Mexico agreed to new Rio Grande water-sharing terms and stronger border enforcement.
In October, the 25 truck tariff was confirmed to take effect on November 1, raising concerns over Mexico’s auto industry, including manufacturers like Stellantis and Freightliner.
Negotiations continue ahead of the late-October expiration of the 30 percent suspension, with no new executive orders issued since September.
