US forces have intercepted and sunk a vessel that was allegedly being used as a floating refueling station to support illegal drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. The operation was carried out by the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere in coordination with Ecuador.
According to the US Southern Command, intelligence indicated that the vessel was assisting Los Choneros, an Ecuador-based criminal organization involved in drug trafficking. US forces boarded and secured the ship before removing its crew and sinking the vessel in international waters.
The people taken from the vessel are expected to be handed over to Ecuadorian authorities for further legal proceedings. Washington designated Los Choneros as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in September 2025.
The operation is reportedly the fourth similar US mission since late August, highlighting increased efforts to disrupt maritime drug trafficking in the region.
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