U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) dealt another devastating blow to Western Hemisphere drug syndicates on Thursday, announcing that American naval forces intercepted and sank a floating refueling station operating in support of the violent Ecuadorian narco-terrorist organization Los Choneros. This is a continuation of President Donald Trump’s policy of destroying drug trafficking vessels that began just over one year ago.
The high-stakes interdiction was carried out on September 3 in international waters of the Eastern Pacific at the direct order of SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, in close coordination and collaboration with the government of Ecuador, according to a statement posted on social media by SOUTHCOM.
Littoral Combat Force 24 Strikes from USS San Antonio
Military intelligence confirmed the targeted vessel was serving as a crucial logistics node for Los Choneros, supplying fuel to at-sea high-speed narco-boats smuggling deadly illicit narcotics northward toward the American homeland.
In a precision response, Littoral Combat Force 24 (LCF-24) launched directly from the amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) to interdict, board, search, and secure the target ship.
The interdiction of the Los Choneros refueling vessel showcased the rapid-response doctrine of modern naval littoral warfare, relying on seamless synchronization between rotary-wing aviation support and high-speed surface assault craft launched from the USS San Antonio. Prior to the boarding team making physical contact with the target, an MH-60 Seahawk helicopter provided airborne tracking, real-time command surveillance, and sniper overwatch. Operating directly above the target vessel, the airborne platform used its forward-looking infrared (FLIR) optics and surface-search sensors to vector assault teams in while ensuring the surrounding waters remained clear of hostiles.
With aerial security established overhead, assault elements of Littoral Combat Force 24 (LCF-24) moved in using an 11-Meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (11M RHIB). Carrying approximately eight to ten heavily armed Marines and boat crew, the high-speed craft maneuvered along the suspect ship’s gunwales, allowing operators to execute a rapid Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) sequence. The combination of lethal overhead surveillance from the Seahawk and the swift delivery of boarding teams via the RHIB enabled U.S. forces to overwhelm, board, and clear the floating refueling station without incident, securing the personnel onboard before sending the cartel asset to the ocean floor.
U.S. Marines and Sailors from LCF-24 cleared the vessel without incident. Individuals removed from the floating fuel station were taken into custody and are being safely transferred to Ecuadorian authorities to face prosecution. Once cleared of all personnel, U.S. forces sent the cartel supply ship to the bottom of the ocean.
“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,” SOUTHCOM declared in an official statement. “The Department of War and the A3C remain unwavering in their mission to defeat narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere and defend our homeland.”
The San Antonio and LCF-24: Spearheading Regional Security
The engagement highlights the lethal, agile capability of Littoral Combat Force 24, a specialized Marine task force built for near-shore combat, high-speed maritime interdictions, and rapid crisis response.
Operating from the USS San Antonio—a 684-foot amphibious warfare platform equipped with well-deck landing craft and flight decks supporting MV-22 Ospreys and attack helicopters—LCF-24 provides American commanders with a highly mobile sea base to hit transnational criminal networks anywhere in the Caribbean or Eastern Pacific at a moment’s notice.
Trump Administration’s Escalating Counter-Narco Campaign
Thursday’s operation marks another strike in the Trump administration’s aggressive military enforcement campaign against Western Hemisphere drug cartels. The policy of kinetic strikes against terrorist drug-trafficking boats began just over a year ago when President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing the use of military force against certain drug cartels, Breitbart Texas reported.
A few days later, the president ordered a strike against a “drug-laden vessel” in international waters. The strike destroyed the boat and killed 11 Tren de Aragua drug smugglers.
Executing operations through Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM)—the standing joint military command structure formed to synchronize U.S. operations alongside regional allies under the broad multilateral framework of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C)—the U.S. military has taken an uncompromising posture against designated foreign narco-terrorist organizations.
Since the administration’s counter-cartel military campaign kicked off under Operation Southern Spear in late 2025 and evolved into JTF-WHEM:
- Over 65 Narco-Vessels Destroyed or Sunk: American forces have interdicted, boarded, or sunk well over 65 cartel-affiliated vessels and logistics nodes across the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific corridors—including two floating narco-refueling stations taken down in the Eastern Pacific over a 48-hour period alone.
- Dramatic Reductions in Maritime Smuggling: Department of War progress updates confirm that the administration’s persistent interdiction campaign has driven historic drops in cartel maritime activity—slashing illicit transit by 65% in the Western Caribbean, 60% in the Eastern Caribbean, and nearly 50% in key Eastern Pacific corridors.
By treating transnational drug cartels as the foreign terrorist threats they are, SOUTHCOM and JTF-WHEM continue to send an unequivocal message to regional gangs: there is no safe harbor on the open seas for those seeking to smuggle poison into the United States.
A Decisive Blueprint for Western Hemisphere Security
By shifting from passive maritime surveillance to forward-deployed, active interdiction, the Trump administration and SOUTHCOM have fundamentally redefined the rules of engagement against transnational criminal syndicates in international waters. The seamless execution of the September 3 operation—neutralizing a key logistics node for Los Choneros without a single friendly casualty—demonstrates the lethal effectiveness of combining specialized sea-basing platforms like the USS San Antonio, agile amphibious forces like LCF-24, and real-time intelligence sharing through Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM).
As the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition continues to expand its joint operational footprint across Latin America, operations like these send an unmistakable message to narco-terrorist organizations: the open ocean is no longer a sanctuary, and the United States and its regional partners possess both the military capability and the political willpower to dismantle these illicit networks wherever they operate.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.