WATCH: U.S. Military SINKS Refueling Station Used By Drug Traffickers

On Aug. 28, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, and in coordination and collaboration with the Government of Ecuador, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in support… pic.twitter.com/ZEj735JRmP

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) August 29, 2026

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On Aug. 28, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, and in coordination and collaboration with the Government of Ecuador, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations in international waters of the Eastern Pacific. Intelligence confirmed the vessel, previously identified and targeted under Department of the Treasury sanctions, was operating in support of the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization.

U.S. Marines and Sailors, launched from USS San Antonio (LPD 17), interdicted, boarded, searched, and cleared the vessel without incident. Individuals removed from the vessel were safely escorted to Ecuador. Once cleared, U.S. forces sank the vessel.

This interdiction cuts off a critical node in the traffickers’ logistics chain and advances the goals of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) and JTF-WHEM to dismantle narco-terrorist networks. The @DeptofWar
and the A3C remain unwavering in their mission to defeat narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere and defend our homeland.

“Today’s operation is a stark example of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition’s power to dismantle the sophisticated, clandestine narco-terrorist tactics and capabilities that have enabled the trafficking of dangerous drugs destined for American communities. Working together with our Ecuadorian partners, our coalition dealt a decisive blow to a narco-terrorist operation responsible for moving significant amounts of drugs through the region. Together with our regional partners, we are committed to defeating narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere.” – #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan

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The U.S. military shared video of troops sinking a refueling boat on Friday in the Eastern Pacific. U.S. Southern Command alleged the boat was "operating in support of the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization."

Video also showed troops stopping and boarding the boat… pic.twitter.com/2pSwiIo584

— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 29, 2026

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The U.S. military shared video of troops sinking a refueling boat on Friday in the Eastern Pacific. U.S. Southern Command alleged the boat was “operating in support of the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization.”

Video also showed troops stopping and boarding the boat beforehand in an operation officials said was coordinated with the Ecuadorian government. The people aboard the refueling station were safely escorted to Ecuador, according to SOUTHCOM.

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The strike comes as the U.S. continues to target alleged drug traffickers with deadly strikes on small boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean. The latest strike came on Tuesday when four people were killed in a boat strike in the Caribbean.

That attack brought the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 227 in 68 strikes since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” almost a year ago.

The last strike on an alleged drug boat in the Pacific Ocean came on Sunday, when two people were killed. It was the first strike after a pause of more than two months in the U.S. campaign against alleged smugglers.

Ecuadorian officials have been battling the Los Choneros gang for years. The drug-trafficking organization, named for the city of Chone in western Ecuador, was led for years by José Adolfo Macías Villamar.

Macías escaped from jail in 2024 while serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking, after which a large-scale gang war broke out on the streets of the capital of Quito. The gang wars expanded to Guayaquil and the nearby town of Nobol. Gunmen even stormed a studio in Guayaquil and fired off shots on live TV. New President Daniel Noboa was forced to call in the army to quell the violence.

Macías, who was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice on drug and weapons charges in April 2025, was recaptured two months later and extradited to the U.S. in July 2025. He pleaded not guilty to charges that he imported thousands of pounds of cocaine into the United States. He is still awaiting trial.

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