US military sinks vessel linked to Ecuador’s powerful Los Choneros criminal ring, SouthCom says
US forces intercepted and sank a vessel in the Eastern Pacific that was allegedly being used as a floating refueling station for maritime drug-trafficking operations linked to Ecuador's Los Choneros criminal organisation, US Southern Command (SouthCom) said Monday. The operation took place on Sept. 7 under the direction of US Southern Command, or SouthCom, and was carried out by the newly-formed…
US forces sank a vessel in the Eastern Pacific linked to Ecuador's Los Choneros criminal organization, according to SouthCom. The operation, conducted by the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM), occurred on September 7. Intelligence indicated the vessel was supporting illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations associated with Los Choneros, a violent narco-terrorist group designated by the US.
After removing personnel, US forces sank the vessel, which was identified as a floating refueling station for drug-trafficking operations. This marks one of several recent operations targeting maritime drug trafficking infrastructure, highlighting the critical role of logistics for drug-runners. Los Choneros, one of Ecuador's most powerful criminal organizations, has been linked to cocaine trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and violence.
The US-Ecuador partnership in counter-narcotics operations has faced criticism, with some crew members' families disputing allegations.
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