US Navy sinks sixth Ecuadorian narco-vessel in Pacific in two weeks

US forces intercepted and sank the fishing boat Don Rufo in the Pacific, the sixth such vessel destroyed in under two weeks, for allegedly serving as a refueling station for Los Choneros, an Ecuadorian gang linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. This marks an intensified US interdiction campaign against drug-trafficking logistics in the Eastern Pacific. The operation underscores growing US military engagement in counter-narcotics off South America's coast, though the strategic impact on cartel operations remains uncertain.