US Military Says It Sank Los Choneros Cartel Support Vessel in Pacific

The U.S. military intercepted and sank a vessel serving as a floating refueling station for drug traffickers in the eastern Pacific. Intelligence linked the vessel to the Ecuadorian terrorist organization Los Choneros. The operation, conducted in coordination with the Ecuadorian government, removed individuals from the vessel before it was sunk.

• U.S. military intercepted and sank a vessel used for refueling maritime drug traffickers.
• The vessel was located in the eastern Pacific.
• Intelligence linked the vessel to the Ecuadorian terrorist organization Los Choneros.
• The operation was conducted by a Marine task force from the USS San Antonio.
• The operation was carried out in coordination with the Ecuadorian government.
• Individuals on board were transferred to Ecuadorian authorities before the vessel was sunk.
• The interdiction is seen as a disruption to traffickers’ logistics and advances efforts to dismantle narco-terrorist networks.