The U.S. Treasury on Thursday imposed sanctions on 15 individuals and 10 vessels for their alleged roles in a cocaine trafficking network operating between Ecuador and the United States. The action targets members of Los Choneros and Los Lobos, two Ecuadorian gangs designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations.
The network allegedly used Ecuador-based fishing vessels near Manta to transfer cocaine to smaller, high-speed boats—known as go-fast vessels—that transit north through the Eastern Pacific Ocean toward Mexico. From there, the drugs are smuggled into the U.S. by Mexican cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
Among those sanctioned are members of the Mero family, who the Treasury Department said operated the fishing company Arcasdenoe S.A. and coordinated logistical support for cocaine shipments. The designations also include several Ecuadorian nationals accused of controlling additional front companies and overseeing the movement of tens of tons of cocaine per month.
Operation Pacific Viper
The sanctions were announced as part of Operation Pacific Viper, a U.S. Coast Guard initiative targeting maritime drug trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific. The operation has involved increased interdiction efforts, including the use of armed confrontations with suspected smuggling vessels. According to U.S. officials, these actions have resulted in the deaths of more than 200 fishermen in the Caribbean and Pacific since 2024, as part of broader anti-drug trafficking efforts in Latin America.
A Treasury Department statement said the network’s operations relied on seemingly legitimate fishing businesses to mask illegal activities. The vessels allegedly provided refueling, resupply, and detection avoidance for go-fast boats carrying cocaine northward. One vessel was specifically identified as directly transporting drugs as part of the scheme.
Designations and Legal Framework
The sanctions freeze any U.S.-held assets of the designated individuals and entities and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with them. The Treasury Department described the network as a critical link in the supply chain, supplying Mexican cartels with cocaine that is then distributed in the U.S. market.
The designations build on prior U.S. actions, including the State Department’s September 2025 terrorist designations of Los Choneros and Los Lobos, as well as earlier Treasury sanctions against these groups and CJNG. The Treasury also noted that the operation has ties to previous seizures, including 22 tons of drugs confiscated in Quevedo, Ecuador, in January 2024.
Ecuador’s Role in Regional Drug Trade
Ecuador has emerged as a key transit point for cocaine shipments from Colombia and Peru, with criminal gangs expanding their influence amid political instability and weakened state control. The country’s Pacific coast, particularly around the port of Manta, has become a focal point for maritime drug trafficking due to its proximity to major shipping routes.
Law enforcement operations in Ecuador have intensified in recent months, with authorities conducting raids and seizures targeting gang-affiliated networks. However, critics argue that increased U.S. military and law enforcement involvement in the region has led to escalating violence and civilian casualties, particularly in fishing communities caught in the crossfire of anti-drug operations.
The Treasury’s announcement underscores the ongoing challenges in disrupting transnational drug networks, despite coordinated international efforts. The sanctions represent a further step in the U.S. strategy to dismantle the financial and logistical infrastructure supporting cocaine trafficking from South America to North America.