On September 2, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the interdiction and destruction of a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, alleging it supported illicit drug-trafficking operations linked to the Los Choneros organization. The operation was conducted in collaboration with Ecuadorian authorities and involved personnel from the USS San Antonio, who boarded, searched, and cleared the vessel without incident before sinking it.
The vessel’s crew was safely transferred to Ecuadorian authorities following the operation. SOUTHCOM stated in a press release that the action eliminated a critical node in the alleged logistics chain supporting drug trafficking. The statement did not disclose the specific location of the operation but noted it occurred in international waters.
Los Choneros, designated by the U.S. government in September 2025 as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, is described as a violent criminal syndicate with origins in Ecuador. SOUTHCOM and other U.S. agencies have previously linked the group to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, kidnapping, human trafficking, and extortion across South America and the Western Hemisphere.
The operation was conducted under the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) and the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM), which aims to disrupt narco-terrorist networks in the region. SOUTHCOM emphasized the action as part of broader efforts to dismantle sophisticated logistics networks used by criminal organizations to traffic drugs and spread violence.
Background and Context
Los Choneros emerged in the 1990s in Ecuador and has since expanded into one of the most notorious criminal groups in South America. The organization has been repeatedly accused of fueling drug flows into the United States, as well as engaging in violent criminal enterprises that destabilize regional security. The U.S. government’s designation of Los Choneros as a terrorist organization reflects its assessment of the group’s role in transnational crime and terrorism-related activities.
The interdiction operation follows prior U.S. and allied efforts to target maritime drug trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific, a region frequently used by cartels to transport cocaine and other illicit substances toward North America. SOUTHCOM’s statement did not provide details on the quantity of drugs or weapons allegedly linked to the vessel, nor did it specify whether additional arrests or seizures were made during the operation.
Official Statements and Rationale
SOUTHCOM confirmed the operation was conducted at the direction of Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan and in coordination with Ecuadorian authorities. The military described the vessel as a critical infrastructure asset for drug traffickers, enabling the refueling of go-fast boats and other vessels used in trans-Pacific drug runs.
The action aligns with the A3C’s mission to dismantle cartel networks through joint interdiction, intelligence-sharing, and logistical disruption. SOUTHCOM framed the sinking of the vessel as a strategic blow to the group’s operational capacity, though it did not quantify the long-term impact on Los Choneros’ activities.
No casualties or injuries were reported during the operation, and all detained individuals were handed over to Ecuadorian custody. The U.S. military has not publicly disclosed further details about the crew or their potential connections to Los Choneros beyond the allegations presented in the SOUTHCOM statement.