US forces sink vessel ‘linked to Ecuador criminal gang’
The US military says it intercepted and sank a floating refueling station in the eastern Pacific that it links to drug trafficking by Ecuador’s Los Choneros criminal gang. Personnel aboard the vessel were removed and are to be handed over to Ecuadorian authorities.
Why It Matters
The action targets a maritime asset tied to a prominent Ecuadorian criminal organization and involves transferring detainees to Ecuador, underscoring direct US involvement in countering drug-trafficking activities connected to Los Choneros. This reflects an operational step with legal and diplomatic implications given the transfer of those taken from the vessel to Ecuadorian officials.
Key Facts
- Actor: US military
- Action: intercepted and sank a floating refueling station
- Location: eastern Pacific
- Criminal link: Ecuador's Los Choneros gang (linked to drug trafficking)
- People on board: removed from the vessel and to be transferred to Ecuadorian authorities
The US military says it intercepted a vessel described as a floating refueling station in the eastern Pacific and sank it after determining it was linked to drug-trafficking activity. US officials identified the vessel’s connection as being associated with Ecuador’s criminal gang known as Los Choneros.
Those aboard the vessel were taken off before the ship was sunk. The US military stated the people removed from the vessel will be transferred to authorities in Ecuador for further handling.
US forces characterized the interdicted platform as part of drug-trafficking operations tied to Los Choneros, but the military account provided in the report did not include further operational details such as the number of people removed, exact coordinates, or the timing of the action.
The announced transfer of those taken aboard to Ecuadorian officials signals coordination with Ecuador’s law enforcement authorities, according to the US military’s statement.
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Original source: Al Jazeera