The US military intercepted and sank a floating refueling complex for drug traffickers in the Pacific Ocean.

The US military intercepted and sank a floating refueling facility in the Eastern Pacific Ocean believed to be owned by Ecuadorian drug traffickers, US Southern Command said.

“On September 5, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere forces, at the direction of U.S. Southern Command, intercepted a floating refueling station from several vessels involved in illegal maritime drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific Ocean,” the command wrote in H.

According to American intelligence, the ships supported the narco-terrorist organization Los Choneros. The detainees were handed over to the Ecuadorian authorities, and the gas station itself was sunk by US forces.

On September 4, 2025, the US State Department included the criminal groups Los Choneros and Los Lobos from Ecuador on the list of foreign terrorist organizations.