US, Ecuador forces strike alleged drug smuggling boat
Tackling drug trafficking in Latin America is a key priority for Washington. In March, Ecuador joined a US-led coalition to combat the drug trade in the region.
U.S. and Ecuador forces recently executed an operation to destroy an alleged drug smuggling vessel, according to the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The vessel was intercepted in the Eastern Pacific while operating as a floating refueling station, working in support of the Los Choneros narco-terrorist organization, a powerful criminal gang designated by Washington as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The joint operation aimed at disrupting the narco-terrorist group's drug smuggling activities was successful, according to SOUTHCOM. Ecuador's involvement in the U.S.-led "Shield of the Americas" coalition highlights the country's strategic importance as a transit hub for drug trafficking between Colombia and Peru, the world's two largest cocaine producers.
While the U.S. military has not provided definitive evidence of drug carrying or transportation in the targeted vessels, the operation signifies an ongoing fight against drug trafficking in the region.
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