Honduras Plans Drone Purchase from Ukraine to Combat Drug Trafficking

Honduras is planning to purchase drones from Ukraine as part of its efforts to combat drug trafficking and strengthen border security, President Nasry Asfura said on Monday.

The announcement comes as the country grapples with organised crime, gang violence and narcotics trafficking networks that continue to pose major security challenges.

Asfura met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv last week. During their talks, Zelensky offered cooperation in military technology, particularly drone systems, as Ukraine seeks to expand partnerships beyond Europe while showing-off capabilities developed during its war with Russia.

Speaking to AFP in Panama City during the General Assembly of the Organization of American States, Asfura said the technology could help authorities monitor remote areas and target criminal activity.

"We are talking about drones to protect our borders, to efficiently guard our borders, to fight against organized crime with high-tech equipment," he said.

Asfura added that Ukraine "can help us a lot to further secure our borders and fight drug trafficking" and described the issue as "a matter of national security".

Ukraine has become a global reference point in drone warfare since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Ukrainian forces have relied heavily on unmanned systems for surveillance, targeting and long-range attacks, helping drive rapid advances in military drone technology.

Zelensky pointed to that expertise during the meeting, saying: "In terms of security today, in military and drone technologies, Ukraine is one of the strongest in the world. And I know this interests you."

Honduras' drug problem

Honduras has long been used as a transit route for cocaine shipments moving north from South America, and is increasingly facing concerns over local coca cultivation and cocaine-processing operations. Security forces have uncovered plantations and laboratories in remote regions, raising fears that the country is evolving from a trafficking corridor into a more active part of the narcotics production chain.

The drug trade operates alongside powerful criminal groups, including gangs such as MS-13 and Barrio 18, which have long been linked to extortion, violence and territorial control. Honduras records a homicide rate of around 24 per 100,000 inhabitants, nearly four times the global average.

Last month alone, 19 people were killed in a community affected by disputes over drug routes, while five police officers were killed near the Guatemalan border in an attack blamed on suspected narcotraffickers.

The proposed drone purchase forms part of a broader effort by Honduras to strengthen security cooperation with foreign partners. The country's armed forces recently said they were discussing possible anti-crime operations with the United States, while Asfura noted that Ukrainian drones could also be used for civilian purposes such as agriculture.