The US military announced on Friday that it had destroyed an alleged drug trafficking vessel in a coordinated operation with Ecuador. This action is seen as a key priority for Washington in combating drug trafficking in Latin America.

US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a post on X that its forces intercepted a vessel "operating as a floating refueling station" in the Eastern Pacific. According to SOUTHCOM, the vessel was operating "in support of the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization," one of Ecuador's most powerful criminal gangs, which Washington has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

"Working together with our Ecuadorian partners, our coalition dealt a decisive blow to a narco-terrorist operation responsible for moving significant amounts of drugs through the region," SOUTHCOM said.

In March, Ecuador joined President Donald Trump's "Shield of the Americas" — a US-led coalition focused on combating drug trafficking across the region. Ecuador's strategic location between Colombia and Peru — the world's two largest producers of cocaine — makes the country a key transit hub for drug-trafficking gangs.

The US military launched Operation Southern Spear in September 2025 as part of a fight against drug trafficking in the region. However, the Trump administration has not presented definitive evidence that the vessels targeted in its operations were carrying or transporting illegal drugs.

Source: www.dw.com