US joint task force western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) forces on September 16 intercepted a floating refuelling station in the Eastern Pacific that was allegedly supporting illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations, the US southern command (Southcom) said, adding that the vessel had been linked through intelligence to Ecuador’s Los Choneros organisation.In a video released by the Southcom, the joint task force can be seen striking the vessel as US forces board the vessel to conduct raid.The operation was conducted under the direction of Southcom as part of efforts to disrupt the logistical networks used to support drug trafficking operations in the Western Hemisphere.US forces intercepted and cleared the vessel before removing its crew. The individuals taken from the vessel were subsequently transferred to Ecuadorian authorities, Southcom said in a statement.After the crew had disembarked and the vessel had been cleared, US forces sank the floating refuelling station.
Vessel allegedly supported drug trafficking
According to Southcom, intelligence had established the vessel’s involvement with Los Choneros, an Ecuadorian criminal organisation that US authorities describe as a violent narco-terrorist organisation.The refuelling station’s role was significant because such vessels can provide logistical support to boats operating at sea, allowing them to continue travelling without returning frequently to shore for fuel.Southcom did not provide details on the amount of fuel involved, the duration of the vessel’s alleged support to trafficking operations or the quantity of drugs, if any, seized during the operation.The command also did not disclose the location of the interception beyond identifying the Eastern Pacific as the area of the operation.
Ecuadorian authorities involved
The operation involved cooperation between US and Ecuadorian authorities. People removed from the vessel were handed over to Ecuadorian authorities after the US forces intercepted it.Southcom said the operation was aimed at weakening the wider logistical infrastructure that enables maritime drug trafficking rather than targeting only individual trafficking boats.“Alongside our Ecuadorian partners, we are relentlessly pursuing narco-terrorists who prey on our citizens, undermine hemispheric security, and leave death and suffering in their wake. This deliberate, lawful, and precise operation saves lives and makes our citizens—from Ecuador to the United States—safer.” – Southcom Commander General Francis L. DonovanSouthcom said JTF-WHEM would continue to conduct operations designed to dismantle logistical networks supporting narco-trafficking across the Western Hemisphere.The operation comes amid broader US efforts to work with regional partners against drug-trafficking networks operating across the Americas. In this case, the US command specifically identified Los Choneros as the organisation connected to the intercepted vessel.No further details about weapons used during the operation, casualties or any separate strike were provided in the Southcom statement.
