{{Venezuela says two light aircraft have been shot down after entering the country’s airspace over the weekend.}}<\/p>\n
These were the first mid-air attacks by fighter jets since a bill authorising such action against illegal planes was approved earlier this month, the Bolivarian Armed Forces said.<\/p>\n
The aircraft were allegedly smuggling drugs from Central America and refused to follow the military pilots’ orders.<\/p>\n
Another 11 unauthorised planes have been disabled on the ground this year.<\/p>\n
Venezuelan security forces say more than 35 tonnes of drugs have been found this year.<\/p>\n
The head of Venezuela’s Strategic Operational Centre, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez, told the country’s state television that a plane had been targeted after “all other means of persuasion had been exhausted” in the early hours of Saturday.<\/p>\n
“This was the first plane shot mid-air in the country since the approval of the Law and Control Regulation for the Integral Defence of the National Airspace, following the orders of our commander-in-chief, President Nicolas Maduro,” Gen Padrino said.<\/p>\n
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