A U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III, registration 10-0222, was observed heading south from Oceana, Virginia, at approximately 8:08 PM UTC on September 23rd, 2025. The aircraft, identified by hex code AE4F16 and call sign RCH153, was tracked with a heading due south, according to a post from X user Arrest_Maduro. This observation of military air traffic occurs amid President Donald Trump's intensified rhetoric against Venezuelan drug trafficking networks. Earlier today, September 23rd, President Trump vowed at the UN General Assembly to "erase your existence" from these networks, stating, "We started using the U.S. Army Supreme Force to destroy Venezuelan terrorists and drug trafficking networks led by Nicolás Maduro." These statements follow earlier reports of the USS Dunham being observed southeast of Blanquilla on September 22nd, also appearing to move towards Trinidad and Tobago. The context of heightened U.S. military activity and strong anti-drug pronouncements from the President may be linked to ongoing efforts to combat international drug trafficking. The White House has previously asserted that U.S. actions have significantly curtailed maritime drug trafficking from Venezuela, with claims that "There are no ships that dare to cross our waters with drugs." Earlier today, a fire at the La Paz Metro workshops in Caracas, caused by deflagrated gas tanks, was successfully contained with no reported injuries or fatalities.
