Ecuador says vessel sinkings part of joint US drug trafficking probe
USA-ECUADOR-STRIKES:Ecuador says vessel sinkings part of joint US drug trafficking probe
The US military has sunk three boats in a week, all reportedly linked to Ecuadoran drug gangs, according to Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). This marks a broader US campaign of strikes on alleged Latin American drug boats, resulting in over 200 deaths since last year. The latest operation targeted a vessel operating as a floating refuelling station, supporting illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations, in the Eastern Pacific.
Intelligence confirmed the boat was working with Los Choneros, a notorious Ecuadoran gang tied to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. Ecuador's Navy recovered 28 crew members from the boat, and Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa supports the US campaign against drug trafficking.
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