American forces, in coordination with Ecuador, interdicted and subsequently sank a vessel that reportedly served as a "floating refuelling station" for illegal drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, the US military’s Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said on Wednesday.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was operating in support of the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organisation,” SOUTHCOM wrote on X.

US Marines and sailors launched from the USS San Antonio (LPD 17), an amphibious transport dock ship, boarded and searched the vessel in international waters. Individuals removed from the ship were transferred to Ecuadorian authorities for further action, it added. Once the ship was cleared, US forces sank the vessel to prevent its further use.

SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis Donovan characterised the operation as a decisive move to "dismantle and destroy sophisticated logistics networks" used to transport narcotics. The interdiction eliminated a "critical node" in the traffickers' supply chain, said SOUTHCOM.

Donovan asserted that the precision of the Joint Task Force demonstrates Washington's commitment to applying "total systemic friction" on criminal networks.

The Ecuador-based Los Choneros was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the US last September.