The U.S. military intercepted and sank a vessel in the Eastern Pacific on Wednesday after determining it was being used to support a “narco-terrorist” organization, U.S. Southern Command said.
According to SOUTHCOM, the operation focused on a vessel linked to Los Choneros, a group the command identified as a violent narco-terrorist organization.
“On Sept. 2, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, and in coordination and collaboration with the Government of Ecuador, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations in international waters of the Eastern Pacific,” SOUTHCOM said in a statement.
The command said intelligence showed the vessel was being used to aid Los Choneros and its maritime drug-trafficking network.
U.S. forces sank a vessel in the Eastern Pacific after safely removing the people on board, U.S. Southern Command said. (U.S. Southern Command)
SOUTHCOM said U.S. Marines and sailors from the USS San Antonio “interdicted, boarded, searched, and cleared the vessel without incident.”
The military said multiple individuals were removed from the vessel and transferred to Ecuadorian authorities.
Once the individuals were safely removed, U.S. forces sank the vessel, SOUTHCOM said.
In its statement, SOUTHCOM said the operation “cuts off a critical node” in the alleged drug traffickers’ illicit activities. It did not disclose the specific location of the operation.
The action was taken in support of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) and JTF-WHEM’s mission to dismantle narco-terrorist networks in the region, according to SOUTHCOM.
U.S. military forces intercepted a vessel in the Eastern Pacific that SOUTHCOM said was operating as a floating refueling station in support of illicit drug trafficking. (U.S. Southern Command)
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“We are taking decisive action to dismantle and destroy sophisticated logistics networks used by narco-terrorists to traffic drugs and spread violence throughout the Western Hemisphere,” Donovan said.
“This operation demonstrated the elite capabilities and precision of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, which is on watch in the region to apply total systemic friction on these networks,” he added.
Video of the operation released by SOUTHCOM shows military personnel intercepting the vessel before boarding it and ultimately sinking the craft.
SOUTHCOM also responded after Ecuador’s Ministry of National Defense shared footage of the operation on social media.
U.S. Marines and sailors from the USS San Antonio boarded and searched a vessel allegedly supporting the Los Choneros narco-terrorist organization, according to SOUTHCOM. (U.S. Southern Command)
“The message is clear: the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition will continue to apply total systemic friction on narco-terrorists,” SOUTHCOM wrote.
Wednesday’s interdiction comes amid a monthslong campaign launched by the Trump administration aimed at dismantling cartel-linked trafficking networks.
SOUTHCOM has conducted dozens of strikes in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean targeting vessels it says are connected to “narco-terrorists.”
Last week, the military said it carried out a strike in the Caribbean that killed four alleged “narco-terrorists.”
Following that strike, the Trump administration’s campaign targeting suspected cartel vessels has resulted in at least 227 deaths across 68 reported strikes over roughly one year.
SOUTHCOM said U.S. forces boarded, searched and cleared the vessel without incident before removing multiple individuals from the boat. (U.S. Southern Command)