The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC 906) recovers bales of cocaine after a suspected drug smuggling vessel capsized in the Pacific Ocean, Sept. 17, 2025. Seneca’s crew worked alongside interagency partners to interdict illicit narcotics in the international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
By Maya Averbuch
Aug 21, 2026 (Bloomberg) –The US Treasury sanctioned a fleet of fishing vessels suspected of smuggling tons of cocaine to Mexico each month, ultimately bound for the US.
The 10 ships and 15 Ecuador-based targets are affiliated with Los Choneros and Los Lobos, two of Ecuador’s most violent cartels, according to the Treasury.
“Operating under the guise of legitimate fishing businesses, a fleet of Ecuador-based vessels near Manta, Ecuador, secretly transfers cocaine to small power boats, known as go-fast vessels,” the Treasury said in its statement.
The cocaine is then smuggled through Mexico by groups including the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion. The fishing boats also provide food and refueling services to the speedboats loaded with cocaine, the Treasury said.
One of the ships was accused of directly transporting large quantities of cocaine, while the others were added to a list of “blocked property” for logistics support in the Pacific Ocean.
Manta, where the ships were based, is a major Pacific port and hub of Ecuador’s tuna industry. Homicides have soared in recent years as drug gangs battle for control, and the city’s mayor was assassinated ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Read More: Why Ecuador Is Erupting With Narco Gang Violence: QuickTake
The US has increasingly used military force against drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, carrying out airstrikes on boats that have killed more than 200 people since 2025.
US lawmakers have questioned the legality of the strikes. The US said Coast Guard-led operations in the eastern Pacific had also led to the confiscation of over 225,000 pounds of cocaine since mid-2025.
© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.
This article contains reporting from Bloomberg, published under license.
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