The United States Army reported this Monday the location and interception in the eastern Pacific Ocean of a floating refueling station that, according to its investigations, would be associated with the criminal organization Los Choneros, considered the largest gang in Ecuador and used to support illegal drug trafficking operations in the area.
"Under the direction of the Southern Command of the United States Army (SOUTHCOM), the forces of the Joint Task Force of the Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM, for its acronym in English, which is made up of the 18 member states of its Coalition Against the Cartels of the Americas) have successfully intercepted a floating refueling station that was supporting illicit drug trafficking operations at sea in the eastern Pacific," the military authority announced in a message on social media.
Subsequently, the Southern Command stated that, based on intelligence data, it has been determined that the vessel had links to the "violent narcoterrorist organization Los Choneros." After the registration of the ship and the disembarkation of the people on board, who were handed over to the authorities of Ecuador, the U.S. forces proceeded to sink the floating structure.
"The Joint Task Force of the Western Hemisphere continues to carry out precise and professional operations to dismantle the logistical networks that fuel drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere," SOUTHCOM has warned.
As the military command has recalled, this operation adds to other recent actions in the eastern Pacific against vessels allegedly related to Los Choneros, similar to those carried out on September 2, 3, and 5.