# US-Ecuador maritime anti-narcotics operations > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-ecuador-maritime-anti-narcotics-operations > Updated: 2026-10-02T10:00:00.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Between late August and mid-September 2026, United States military forces and Ecuadorian authorities conducted coordinated maritime operations in the Pacific Ocean. These operations targeted eight fishing vessels, which officials claimed served as refueling stations for drug trafficking linked to the criminal group Los Choneros. The operations resulted in the destruction of the vessels and the detention of over 140 of the 160 crew members involved. Human Rights Watch has called for both governments to disclose the legal basis for these actions, noting a lack of evidence linking individual crew members to specific crimes. Reports have emerged regarding physical abuse and unlawful arrests, with Ecuadorian judges ruling that the detention of 56 individuals was unlawful. In a specific legal development regarding the vessel Conquista II, an Ecuadorian judge rejected a habeas corpus petition filed by the Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos. The petition sought to declare the 17 crew members victims of forced disappearance due to a lack of information regarding their whereabouts following a military interception on September 2. While the crew members were eventually released, human rights advocates intend to appeal the ruling. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-02: Human Rights Watch demands legal clarity on US-Ecuador maritime operations Human Rights Watch demands the US and Ecuador clarify the legal basis for naval operations that destroyed eight fishing vessels and led to the detention of over 140 crew members in the Pacific. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/human-rights-watch-demands-legal-clarity-on-us-ecuador-maritime-operations ### 2026-09-25: Ecuador judge rejects forced disappearance claim for Conquista II crew An Ecuadorian judge rejected a habeas corpus request to declare the crew of the Conquista II victims of forced disappearance after the vessel was intercepted and bombed by U.S. forces. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ecuador-judge-rejects-forced-disappearance-claim-for-conquista-ii-crew --- Cite as: US-Ecuador maritime anti-narcotics operations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-ecuador-maritime-anti-narcotics-operations