US Destroys Fifth Ship Linked to Ecuadorian Gang Los Choneros in Eastern Pacific

The US military destroyed a fifth vessel allegedly serving as a fuel station for drug trafficking operations linked to Ecuadorian gang Los Choneros in the Eastern Pacific. Crew members deny ties to traffickers, and 28 fishermen were released due to lack of evidence, while reports of prior attacks remain unacknowledged by the US. This marks an escalation in US interdiction efforts against narco-logistics networks, though the civilian impact and evidentiary basis raise legal and operational questions.