The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on Thursday against 15 individuals and entities and 10 vessels based in Ecuador. The Treasury Department identified the targets as part of a maritime network that allegedly moves thousands of kilograms of cocaine each month to supply Mexican cartels.
The action follows a multi-agency investigation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Southern Command, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Treasury officials stated the network is linked to Los Choneros and Los Lobos, two Ecuadorian groups the U.S. government designated as foreign terrorist organizations in September 2025. The U.S. previously identified Los Lobos as the largest drug trafficking ring in Ecuador in 2024.
According to the Treasury Department, the network used the Manta-based fishing company Arcasdenoe S.A. to provide logistical support, including fuel, food, and medical supplies, for cocaine shipments. The department alleged that fishing vessels provided cover for "go-fast" boats that transported drugs through the eastern Pacific toward the Sinaloa cartel and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) in Mexico. Among those named in the sanctions are members of the Mero family, who allegedly managed the logistical operations and front companies.
The scale of the alleged trafficking operations involves tens of tons of cocaine moving through the eastern Pacific toward U.S. borders each month. Treasury officials linked the sanctions to Operation Pacific Viper, a Coast Guard-led campaign that reported seizing more than 225,000 pounds of cocaine between August 2025 and June 2026. For an average household, the U.S. government states these actions are intended to disrupt the supply chains of Mexican cartels that distribute narcotics within American communities.
This action represents one of nearly 30 Treasury Department operations targeting cartel networks since early 2025. The enforcement sets a precedent for using counter-terrorism designations against criminal gangs in South America to freeze their international maritime logistics. While the sanctions are effective immediately, the U.S. government stated it will continue to work with law enforcement partners to monitor the network. The source did not report specific court dates or deadlines for the sanctioned individuals to appeal these designations.