WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Justice Department has provided a legal justification that makes clear that U.S. military personnel involved in strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels are immune from prosecution, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

Since early September, the U.S. military has carried out at least 19 strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coast of Latin America, killing at least 76 people. Legal experts and Democratic lawmakers have questioned the legality of the strikes and many say they do not adhere to the laws of war.

A source familiar with the matter, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel had drawn up a classified legal opinion.

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