US forces sink suspected drug-smuggling vessel off Ecuadorian coast
The United States military has sunk a vessel suspected of being involved in drug trafficking operations off the coast of Ecuador during a joint operation with Ecuadorian authorities, according to the US Southern Command.
In a statement published on social media, the US military said its forces secured the main vessel and removed its crew before sinking the ship along with several support boats that were traveling with it.
US authorities said intelligence had linked the vessel to activities supporting Los Choneros, an Ecuadorian criminal organization that has been associated with drug trafficking and violent crime. The individuals detained aboard the main vessel were subsequently handed over to Ecuadorian authorities.
The operation is part of a broader US-Ecuadorian campaign against organized crime and maritime drug trafficking in the region. The sinking reportedly represents the fourth such vessel targeted in recent days, following other operations involving boats allegedly connected to Los Choneros.
The United States has significantly intensified its efforts to disrupt maritime drug-trafficking networks in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The campaign has included air and maritime operations against vessels suspected of transporting illegal drugs.
US President Donald Trump has described the fight against drug-trafficking cartels as an armed conflict and has backed measures treating certain criminal organizations as terrorist groups. The approach has generated debate over the scope of US military involvement in counter-narcotics operations.
Ecuador, meanwhile, has been engaged in an increasingly intense battle against organized crime under President Daniel Noboa. Washington has provided military support as Ecuador seeks to weaken powerful criminal networks and curb the flow of illegal drugs through its territory and coastal waters.
The latest operation underscores the growing security cooperation between Washington and Quito as both governments seek to confront drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations operating across the region.
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