U.S. Sanctions Ecuadorian Criminal Network for Cocaine Trafficking to Mexico
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned eight individuals and seven Ecuador-based companies linked to the criminal organizations Los Choneros and Los Lobos. These groups, previously designated as foreign terrorist organizations by Washington, are accused of trafficking cocaine to Mexico. The Treasury also identified ten Ecuadorian fishing vessels as blocked assets. According to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), this network used fishing companies as a front to transport 30 to 40 tons of cocaine monthly from Ecuador to Central America and Mexico, with the ultimate destination being the United States. The logistical hub for these operations was on Ecuador's coast, specifically Manta in Manabí province. Fishing vessels reportedly transferred cocaine to speedboats heading north through the Eastern Pacific, providing fuel, food, medical services, and surveillance against law enforcement. The cocaine was then moved to Mexico, where it was handled by cartels like Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Ge... 
