U.S. Military Intercepts Drug-Smuggling Vessel
The U.S. military recently interdicted a vessel believed to be serving as a refueling station for drug-smuggling operations in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
On Friday, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced that it had worked with the Ecuadorian government and the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) to approach and board the ship.
“Intelligence confirmed the vessel, which was previously under Department of the Treasury sanctions, was supporting the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization,” said CENTCOM.
Los Choneros is a criminal organization in Manabí Province, Ecuador, known for its involvement in drug trafficking, extortion, and robbery, making it a key player in organized crime in the region.
U.S. Marines and Sailors descended from the USS San Antonio, a Navy amphibious transport dock, and managed to board, search, and clear the vessel “without incident,” according to SOUTHCOM. After evacuating the ship, U.S. forces sank it.
The people removed from the vessel were taken back to Ecuador.
SOUTHCOM stated that this action “cuts off a critical node in the traffickers’ logistics chain,” supporting the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) in its mission to tackle narco-terrorism.
“Today’s operation is a clear demonstration of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition’s ability to disrupt complex, hidden narco-terrorist tactics that have facilitated drug trafficking aimed at American communities,” said SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who oversaw the operation. “Working alongside our Ecuadorian partners, we dealt a significant setback to a narcotics operation capable of moving considerable amounts of drugs in the area. Together, we are dedicated to defeating narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere.”
This announcement followed a recent strike by SOUTHCOM on a suspected drug-trafficking boat that resulted in the deaths of two alleged narco-terrorists in the same region.
“Let me be clear, we will not permit narco-terrorists to operate unchecked in the Western Hemisphere, nor will we allow their deadly poison to infiltrate American communities,” Donovan remarked during that event.
