US forces sink narco-refueling station linked to Ecuadorian cartel in Pacific: SOUTHCOM
U.S. forces sank a Los Choneros refueling vessel in the Eastern Pacific after SOUTHCOM said it supported at-sea drug trafficking operations.
TL;DR
- U.S. forces sank a floating refueling vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
- The vessel was used by the Ecuadorian organized crime ring, Los Choneros, for drug trafficking.
- The action was carried out by Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTFWH).
- Individuals aboard the vessel were removed and will be transferred to Ecuadorian authorities.
- The Los Choneros cartel was recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department.
- This operation is part of the U.S. strategy to counter narco-trafficking in the Western Hemisphere.