The United States Department of the Treasury has announced sanctions against "15 targets" —eight individuals and seven companies— based in Ecuador, in addition to categorizing ten vessels as "blocked," due to their alleged involvement in the transportation of "thousands of kilograms of cocaine each month" to the United States through Mexico. U.S. authorities link these individuals, companies, and assets to the gangs Los Choneros and Los Lobos, which Washington associates with Mexican organized crime.
"The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury designated 15 targets based in Ecuador and identified 10 vessels involved in the clandestine shipment of thousands of kilograms of cocaine each month from South America to Mexico, destined for the United States," the sanctioning entity of the Treasury stated in a press release.
According to the information disseminated by the Department of the Treasury, the alleged network would operate through "a fleet of vessels based in Ecuador, near Manta," which would function "under the guise of legitimate fishing companies" to, in reality, "secretly transfer cocaine to small motorboats that sail north through the Eastern Pacific Ocean destined for the United States."
"The cocaine is then smuggled into Mexico by foreign terrorist organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)," the Treasury asserts.
The statement describes a "growing convergence between the most violent foreign terrorist organizations in Ecuador and Mexico, which conspire to introduce lethal drugs into the United States and whose narcoterror operations generate billions of dollars annually for the narcoterrorists."
The punitive measures target, among others, the family company Arcasdenoe, S.A., in which "Alfonso Mero Mero and his sons (...) are responsible for smuggling thousands of kilograms of cocaine from South America to Mexico and provide fuel supply services to the speedboats used" for these operations. OFAC adds that one of Alfonso Mero Mero's sons, Edwar Mero Arcentales, "participates in drug trafficking activities in coordination with Los Choneros."
On the list of those sanctioned also appears "Julio Javier Mero Franco, who supports Los Choneros and has coordinated the transport of approximately 30 to 40 tons of cocaine per month from Ecuador to Central America and Mexico," as well as Milton Edixon Martínez Mendoza, who, according to the statement, "supports Los Lobos and Los Choneros and has coordinated the transport of thousands of kilos of cocaine in speedboats destined for Mexico."
"Under the leadership of President Trump, the Department of the Treasury is tirelessly combating the narcoterrorist networks that profit by poisoning Americans," declared Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue to dismantle the drug trafficking operations of the cartels and protect our borders," he added.