In a decisive blow against international drug trafficking, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced the successful interdiction and sinking of a clandestine floating refueling station operating in the Eastern Pacific. Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) forces executed the operation on September 8, targeting a vessel confirmed to be instrumental in supporting illicit at-sea drug smuggling operations. Intelligence definitively linked the intercepted vessel to the violent narco-terrorist organization Los Choneros, a group notorious for its destabilizing influence and extensive criminal activities, including hired killings, kidnappings, political assassinations, and the global smuggling of weapons and drugs. After removing individuals from the vessel and transferring them to Ecuadorian authorities, U.S. forces scuttled the refueling station, further dismantling the logistical networks employed by narco-trafficking organizations in the Western Hemisphere. This action represents the latest in a series of similar operations by SOUTHCOM, underscoring a persistent commitment to disrupting the infrastructure that fuels these dangerous criminal enterprises, particularly those connected to the Ecuador-based Los Choneros, which has been identified as a major driver of violence and a key collaborator with international cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel and Albanian cartels.
Adapted from: Latest World News on Fox News
