Video: US forces take out floating refuelling station allegedly tied to drug trade
US forces intercepted and sank a floating refueling station in the Eastern Pacific allegedly used by the Ecuadorian criminal organization Los Choneros to support drug trafficking. The operation was part of a broader effort to disrupt the logistical networks enabling maritime narcotics smuggling.
Why it matters
It demonstrates the use of targeted military operations to dismantle the infrastructure supporting international drug cartels.
US joint task force western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) forces on September 16 intercepted a floating refuelling station in the Eastern Pacific that was allegedly supporting illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations, the US southern command (Southcom) said, adding that the vessel had been linked through intelligence to Ecuador's Los Choneros organisation.The operation was conducted under the direction of Southcom as part of efforts to disrupt the logistical networks used to support drug trafficking operations in the Western Hemisphere.US forces intercepted and cleared the vessel before removing its crew.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in