US Sinks Third Suspected Drug-Trafficking Vessel in Eastern Pacific

US forces have sunk a third vessel in the Eastern Pacific within a week, saying it supported the Ecuadorian gang Los Choneros in maritime drug-trafficking operations.

Third Vessel Sunk

The US military has sunk a third vessel in the Eastern Pacific within a week as the Trump administration intensifies its campaign against suspected drug-trafficking networks in Latin America.

US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said the latest operation took place on September 3 in international waters and targeted a vessel allegedly operating as a floating refuelling station for illicit maritime drug trafficking.

The vessel was linked through intelligence to Los Choneros, an Ecuadorian criminal organisation that US authorities describe as a narco-terrorist group.

SOUTHCOM said the operation was conducted in coordination with the Ecuadorian government. US forces boarded, searched and cleared the vessel before sinking it.

Crew Handed To Ecuador

Unlike some earlier operations in the wider campaign, the latest interdiction did not result in reported deaths aboard the vessel.

SOUTHCOM said people found on the boat were removed and transferred to Ecuadorian authorities after the vessel was cleared.

The Ecuadorian Navy later confirmed that 28 crew members from two vessels had been returned to the port city of Manta, according to Reuters. Another group of eight people was reportedly travelling back to Ecuador.

The safe transfer of crew members has become a significant issue because relatives of some detained men say they were fishermen rather than drug traffickers.

Los Choneros Link Claimed

According to SOUTHCOM, intelligence showed that the latest vessel was functioning as a floating refuelling station supporting Los Choneros' maritime operations.

The US command said the vessel represented an important logistical link in the trafficking network and that destroying it would disrupt the movement of drugs by sea.

SOUTHCOM has described the operations as part of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition and the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere's broader effort to dismantle criminal networks.

The US military has released video footage showing the latest interdiction and sinking.

Ecuador Backs US Action

Ecuador has defended the US operations, saying they were conducted as part of a joint anti-drug investigation.

Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg said the targeted vessels were being used as refuelling points for speedboats transporting drugs north towards Mexico and the United States.

Ecuador's government has therefore backed Washington's description of the boats as part of a drug-trafficking logistics network.

The operations have also demonstrated closer security cooperation between Washington and President Daniel Noboa's government as Ecuador struggles with powerful criminal organisations and rising drug-trafficking activity.

Families Challenge Claims

The US and Ecuadorian accounts have faced opposition from relatives of some crew members.

Families have disputed claims that the men aboard the targeted vessels were involved in organised drug trafficking. Some relatives have said the boats were associated with fishing activities and that no drugs were found aboard them.

Human rights groups have also raised concerns about the legality and transparency of US military action against suspected drug vessels.

The dispute is particularly sensitive in Manta, Ecuador's major fishing port, where families have gathered seeking information about relatives involved in recent maritime operations.

Fishermen Fear Strikes

The expanding US campaign has created anxiety among fishing communities along Ecuador's Pacific coast.

Fishermen operating in waters affected by the US operations fear that legitimate fishing vessels could be mistaken for boats connected to criminal organisations.

Reuters previously reported that some Ecuadorian fishermen had reduced or stopped their trips because of concerns about US strikes and pressure from drug-trafficking groups operating in the region.

The competing risks have left some fishing communities caught between criminal groups demanding cooperation and the threat of military interdiction.

Wider US Drug War

The latest operation forms part of a much broader Trump administration campaign targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

US officials have said the campaign is aimed at disrupting maritime routes used by Latin American criminal organisations to transport drugs towards the United States.

The operations have proved highly controversial because Washington has provided limited public evidence in individual cases, while critics question the legal basis for using military force against suspected traffickers at sea.

The administration maintains that the vessels targeted are connected to organised criminal and narco-terrorist networks.

What Happens Next

The sinking of the third vessel within a week signals that US maritime operations against suspected drug-trafficking networks are continuing at a high tempo.

Washington is likely to maintain pressure on Los Choneros and other Latin American criminal organisations, while Ecuador continues to cooperate with US authorities.

At the same time, questions over evidence, civilian fishing activity and the legal framework governing the strikes are likely to intensify.

For Ecuador's coastal communities, the immediate concern remains the safety of fishermen operating in the Eastern Pacific.

The latest US strikes on suspected drug boats therefore mark both an escalation in Washington's anti-cartel campaign and a growing source of tension for Ecuadorian fishing families.