US and Ecuadorian forces have launched a joint operation to combat drug trafficking.

Ecuadorian and US forces have launched coordinated operations in Ecuador targeting groups involved in drug trafficking and related criminal activities, the US Southern Command announced on Tuesday.

The operation is part of efforts to combat illicit drug flows, with details of the missions not immediately disclosed.

The move comes after Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa said the US and other regional partners are participating in a “new phase” of the country’s campaign against drug cartels. Noboa noted that Ecuador’s major ports handle roughly 70% of the world’s cocaine shipments, making the country a key hub for trafficking networks.

The operations follow discussions in Quito between Noboa and senior US military officials on improving information sharing and coordination at airports and seaports. The US Southern Command said the collaboration is aimed at confronting narco-terrorist groups that have long contributed to violence and corruption across the region

This initiative also follows a temporary US deployment to the former base in Manta earlier this year, as part of broader efforts to tackle organized crime and reduce drug trafficking in the region.