Originally published on October 22, 2013
The Venezuelan Air Force shot down two planes suspected of drug trafficking over the weekend after they ignored orders to land.
According to local reports, the actions occurred in a remote area of the southern state of Apure, about 350 km south of Caracas, near the border with Colombia.
The aircrafts were allegedly smuggling drugs from Central America and refused to follow orders from military pilots.
Both planes were intercepted and taken down by F-16s.
According to the BBC, earlier this month, a bill was approved to authorize such actions against illegal planes.
The second plane was taken down after he allegedly evaded the authorities' order by trying to land on an illegal airstrip in the jungle.
The photo of one of the destroyed planes was posted on Twitter by the head of the National Anti-Drugs Agency, Alejandro Keleris Bucarito.
The BBC quoted him as saying "These are drug trafficking mafias which intend to use our country as a platform for drug distribution, trespassing our airspace,"
Both accidents show the Venezuelan government's efforts to prevent drug-trafficking flights over its airspace since President Maduro issued a public warning to drug smugglers, the BBC reported.
In 2013, a total of 11 unauthorised planes have been disabled on the ground by the Venezuelan Air Force.
