The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on 15 individuals connected to a drug trafficking network that allegedly moved thousands of kilograms of cocaine each month from Ecuador, through Mexico, and into the United States. The network is reported to operate under the guise of legitimate fishing businesses, using vessels near Manta, Ecuador, to transfer illicit substances to speedboats.
These speedboats, known as go-fast vessels, then transported the cocaine northward through the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The sanctioned individuals are reportedly affiliated with Los Choneros and Los Lobos, two Ecuadorean gangs previously designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. The Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), also designated FTOs, are involved in smuggling the drugs into the U.S. via Mexico.
Ecuador has been grappling with escalating drug-related violence since 2021, as rival cartels collaborate with local gangs to vie for control of drug routes and coastal ports. The country's strategic location between Colombia and Peru, the world's leading cocaine producers, contributes to its role as a key transit point.
In response to the ongoing challenges, Ecuador has strengthened its partnership with the U.S. on counter-narcotics operations. Ecuadorean Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo announced Thursday that two U.S. warships, equipped with interceptor boats and helicopters, will patrol Ecuador’s territorial waters to bolster anti-drug trafficking efforts. Three Black Hawk helicopters are also stationed in Manta to support these operations, which Loffredo stated would triple the nation's interdiction capabilities in the maritime zone. The announcement followed a meeting between Loffredo and Gen. Francis Donovan, head of U.S. Southern Command, in Manta. Details regarding the commencement of these patrols were not immediately available.