(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Ecuador defends US sinking of vessels as joint anti-drug operation | Drugs News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/5/ecuador-defends-us-sinking-of-vessels-as-joint-anti-drug-operation)                                               (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/5/ecuador-defends-us-sinking-of-vessels-as-joint-anti-drug-operation)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/afp_6a9b655c6afd-1788568924.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/09/afp_6a9b655c6afd-1788568924.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.25927f0e.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.c7afea12.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.c65718e9.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blog-container~containers~72501995.3d2cbba2.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~pages/amp-article~pages/article-page~493df0b3.1e546aab.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.5839b1ed.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (ecuador-defends-us-sinking-of-vessels-as-joint-anti-drug-operation@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        Navigation menu caret-left    (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/donald-trump/) Donald Trump    (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/this-is-america/2026/7/28/trump-netanyahu-and-the-iran-question) Trump, Netanyahu and the Iran question   (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/the-bottom-line/2026/5/24/how-will-iran-war-fallout-impact-upcoming-us-elections) How Iran war fallout may shape US elections   (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2026/5/19/how-the-shape-of-a-map-can-determine-the-us-midterm-elections) A visual guide to redistricting     caret-right         (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/drugs/) Drugs   Ecuador defends US sinking of vessels as joint anti-drug operation Relatives of detained crew say US forces acted without evidence, claiming the men were fishermen, not smugglers.   Listen   Listen (3 mins)       Save       Share Ecuador defends US sinking of vessels as joint anti-drug operation on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fn9bxqa) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ecuador%20defends%20US%20sinking%20of%20vessels%20as%20joint%20anti-drug%20operation&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fn9bxqa) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fn9bxqa) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/n9bxqa)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (A group of detained fishermen are transported on a National Police bus to the Community Surveillance Unit (UVC) from the port of Manta. [AFP])   A group of detained fishermen is transported on a National Police bus to the Community Surveillance Unit (UVC) in Manta, Ecuador, on September 4, 2026 [AFP]   (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff , AFPand Reuters   Published On 5 Sep 2026 5 Sep 2026    Ecuador has defended a US operation this week that sank three vessels accused of sustaining drug-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific. Ecuador’s government said on Friday the interception and sinking of the Ecuadorian vessels were part of joint investigations ⁠with Washington targeting drug-smuggling activities linked to criminal gangs. Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/22/us-strike-on-an-alleged-drug-boat-in-eastern-pacific-kills-two) US strike on an alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific kills two  list 2 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/21/civilians-faced-attacks-abuse-in-joint-us-ecuador-operations-hrw-says) Civilians faced attacks, abuse in joint US-Ecuador operations, HRW says  list 3 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/24/us-military-says-strike-on-alleged-drug-smuggling-boat-kills-two) US military says strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat kills two  list 4 of 4 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/2/a-year-into-trumps-boat-strike-campaign-families-search-for-answers) A year into Trump’s boat strike campaign, families search for answers   end of list  Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg told broadcaster Teleamazonas the vessels were refueling points for speedboats that move drugs north towards Mexico and the United States. “This is ⁠work carried out through international cooperation,” Reimberg said. The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) reiterated Reimberg’s claim, saying it “successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations”, linked to the Los Choneros gang. “Individuals removed from the vessel will be safely transferred to Ecuadorian authorities. Once cleared, U.S. forces sank the vessel,” SOUTHCOM posted on X on Thursday. A video accompanying SOUTHCOM’s post showed US forces approaching and boarding a vessel before it was blown up at sea. The time and location of the video have not been independently verified.     Relatives of some crew members accused the US military of acting without evidence and said the men on the boats were fishermen. The wife of one crew member told the Reuters news agency in a phone interview that the men had been fishing when US forces boarded and that no drugs were found. Her account has not been independently verified. Advertisement    The Ecuadorian navy said that it received 28 crew members from that vessel and another boat that was sunk on Wednesday and that they arrived in Manta, the country’s main fishing port, on board a local coastguard vessel. (Relatives of a group of fishermen detained at the port of Manta wait outside the Community Surveillance Unit (UVC) in Manta, Ecuador. [AFP])  Relatives of detained fishermen wait outside the Community Surveillance Unit (UVC) in Manta, Ecuador, on September 4, 2026 [AFP]  On Friday, a group of people waited for news of their relatives who, they said, were traveling on the boats targeted in the past two days, the AFP news agency reported. The incidents are the latest in the (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/2/a-year-into-trumps-boat-strike-campaign-families-search-for-answers) Trump administration’s campaign against maritime drug trafficking that has drawn concern in Latin America over the use of air attacks and lethal force on international waters. SOUTHCOM confirmed a previous attack on a “low-profile” vessel that killed two people on August 23. Another US strike killed four people two days later. No victims were identified in either attack. Trump has claimed the US is in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug-trafficking organisations in an unreleased memo obtained by US media.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss       (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network