The US Navy's P-8 Poseidon, an aircraft designed for anti-submarine warfare, surveillance, and reconnaissance, was spotted circling a drug-smuggling hub off Mexico's coast.

On Tuesday, flight trackers recorded the jet performing multiple loops miles offshore from Tijuana, a city long plagued by violent organized crime and considered a major corridor for cartel operations. 

The P-8 took off from the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington, flew through Oregon and through California.

The aircraft then made several circles near the US-Mexico maritime boundary, a region notorious for drug smuggling from Mexico into California, before returning to home base.

Equipped with advanced sensors capable of detecting both surface and underwater targets, the P-8 is often used to monitor suspicious vessels and maritime movements. 

The flight comes just one day after a report claimed that the Trump administration is planning a new mission to send American troops and intelligence officers into Mexico to target drug cartels.

According to two current and two former senior US officials who spoke to NBC News, early-stage training for the operation has already begun, though they emphasized that 'a deployment to Mexico is not imminent.' 

While the White House has not confirmed the report, Trump has repeatedly vowed to crack down on drug trafficking, even ordering airstrikes on alleged smuggling boats coming from Venezuela.

Under the proposed mission, US forces operating in Mexico would focus primarily on carrying out drone strikes targeting drug production sites and key cartel figures, two current and two former US officials told NBC.

Some of the drones expected to be deployed would need trained personnel on the ground to ensure they’re used accurately and safely, the officials added.

It is unknown if the P-8 flight was part of this alleged action or was just a test mission through the region. 

The flight path off the Southern California coast extended toward Baja California and Ensenada, Mexico.

The boundary begins near San Diego and Tijuana, extending roughly 352 miles west into the Pacific Ocean, dividing the territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of the two nations. 

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.

The aircraft was seen on October 13 making the same journey from Whidbey Island to the US-Mexico maritime boundary, which followed another trip 10 days earlier.

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 percent heavy-duty truck tariff was confirmed to take effect on November 1, raising concerns over Mexico’s auto industry, including manufacturers like Stellantis and Freightliner.

As of now, current tariffs remain in effect as of early November.