US forces intercepted and sank a floating refuelling vessel allegedly supporting Los Choneros drug operations, while Ecuador took custody of the crew.

US Intercepts Refuelling Vessel

US forces have intercepted and sunk a vessel they say was operating as a floating refuelling station for illicit drug-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific.

The operation was carried out in coordination with Ecuador and involved the US Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, according to the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

SOUTHCOM said intelligence indicated that the vessel was supporting Los Choneros, an Ecuadorian criminal organisation that US authorities describe as a violent narco-terrorist group.

The vessel was boarded, searched and cleared before US forces sank it. People removed from the vessel were transferred to Ecuadorian authorities.

The operation is part of a wider US campaign aimed at disrupting maritime logistics used by suspected drug-trafficking networks across the Western Hemisphere.

Vessel Linked To Los Choneros

According to SOUTHCOM, the intercepted vessel was being used to support illicit at-sea drug trafficking.

The US military said Los Choneros has developed networks that facilitate the movement of drugs through maritime routes towards North America.

A floating refuelling platform can allow smaller vessels involved in trafficking operations to remain at sea for longer periods without returning to shore.

SOUTHCOM described the operation as an effort to cut a key logistical link in the trafficking network.

The command has also carried out similar interdictions in recent weeks, including operations on September 2 and August 28 involving vessels allegedly connected to Los Choneros.

Ecuador Takes Custody Of Crew

The people removed from the vessel were handed over to Ecuadorian authorities as part of the joint operation.

Ecuador has publicly defended the recent US-backed maritime operations, saying they formed part of a joint investigation into vessels allegedly being used as refuelling platforms for drug-running boats.

Ecuadorian authorities said some of the vessels were supporting speedboats transporting cocaine north towards Mexico and the United States.

The cooperation highlights the increasingly close security relationship between Washington and Quito in the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking.

Fishermen Families Raise Concerns

The operations have nevertheless generated concern among families of people detained during recent vessel interceptions.

Relatives gathered in the Ecuadorian port city of Manta seeking information about fishermen aboard boats targeted during the operations.

Some families have disputed the authorities' characterisation of the vessels and said their relatives were fishermen rather than drug traffickers.

One relative told AFP that families had been reassured that detained fishermen were alive and safe.

The competing accounts have added a human-rights dimension to the US campaign, with questions being raised over how suspected trafficking vessels are identified and whether all those detained are involved in criminal activity.

US Expands Anti-Drug Campaign

The latest operation comes as Washington expands its maritime campaign against suspected narco-trafficking networks in the Western Hemisphere.

SOUTHCOM has described the campaign as an effort to disrupt and dismantle cartels and narco-terrorist organisations that threaten the United States and regional partners.

The command established the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere as part of the broader effort.

Its operations have included maritime interdictions as well as lethal strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels.

SOUTHCOM says the campaign is intended to disrupt trafficking routes and the logistical infrastructure that allows criminal organisations to move drugs across international waters.

More Vessels Targeted

The latest sinking was not an isolated incident.

SOUTHCOM reported similar operations against alleged trafficking-support vessels on September 2 and September 3. In each case, US forces said they intercepted the vessels, removed people aboard and then sank the craft after completing the operation.

The repeated operations indicate that Washington is targeting not only suspected drug-carrying boats but also the support network that enables maritime trafficking.

The strategy could make it more difficult for criminal groups to maintain long-distance maritime routes.

However, the growing frequency of the operations is also likely to keep scrutiny on the legal basis for using military force against suspected traffickers and the treatment of people detained during such missions.

What Happens Next

The US and Ecuador are expected to continue working together against suspected maritime drug-trafficking networks.

For Washington, the focus is on dismantling the logistics infrastructure of organisations such as Los Choneros before drugs reach North American markets.

For Ecuador, the operations come as the country faces persistent challenges from powerful criminal organisations and cocaine-trafficking networks.

At the same time, questions surrounding the identity and activities of detained crews are likely to remain significant.

The latest operation therefore represents both an expansion of US-Ecuador security cooperation and a growing test of how far military force can be used in maritime counter-drug operations.

With SOUTHCOM continuing to target suspected trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific, further interceptions and vessel seizures or sinkings could follow in the coming weeks.