US forces sink floating fuel station used in drug trafficking

US forces have sunk a floating fuel station that was allegedly being used to support drug trafficking operations in the eastern Pacific, the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said on X.

According to intelligence cited by SOUTHCOM, the facility provided logistical and supply support to Los Choneros, an Ecuadorian criminal group. After inspecting the station and evacuating its crew, US forces decided to sink the vessel, while those who had been on board will be handed over to Ecuadorian law enforcement authorities.

“We are exerting unrelenting pressure on these narco-terrorists and hurting them where it counts: dismantling their intricate networks, disrupting their sophisticated logistics, and dealing a blow to their finances,” SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan said.

By Jeyhun Aghazada