The United States Army announced this Thursday a new interception in the Pacific Ocean of a vessel allegedly used as a fuel supply point by the criminal gang Los Choneros, the largest in Ecuador, one day after carrying out another operation of the same type.
“Under the orders of General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), and in coordination and collaboration with the Government of Ecuador, the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) successfully intercepted a vessel operating as a floating fuel resupply station in support of illicit drug trafficking operations in international waters of the Eastern Pacific,” announced the military authority on social media.
In its post on X, the command attributed to Intelligence reports the confirmation that said vessel “operated in support of the violent narcoterrorist organization Los Choneros”, after which it explained that, once intercepted, boarded, searched, and cleared “without incidents,” it was proceeded to be sunk.
“The persons removed from the vessel will be safely transferred to the Ecuadorian authorities”, specified SOUTHCOM, highlighting that this interception “cuts a fundamental link in the traffickers’ logistical chain” while “contributing to the objectives” of the Americas Coalition against Cartels and the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere to “dismantle narcoterrorist networks.”
As on Wednesday night, the operation was confirmed by the Ministry of Defense of Ecuador, which in a message on social media highlighted that “another ship used by drug trafficking as a fuel supply point has been destroyed in international waters of the Pacific.”
“The vessel, linked to the organized crime group Los Choneros, served to sustain criminal operations at sea and was neutralized thanks to the action of our ally, United States Southern Command,” specified the Ecuadorian ministry.
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