REST API: CRUD operations in model or controller

I'm building an app using express and mongoose. My backend is an api (since the frontend is native iOS). In an MVC framework, the controller acts as an interface between Model and View. Since I don't have Views, should I do away with the Controllers and keep my crud operations in the Models, or should I keep them in the Controllers? What are the pros and cons of each approach?

node.js
rest
model-view-controller
design
express

View

You still have a view since you'll need to display whatever the response is.

CRUD operations

These operations are delegated to the service layer by controllers. The service layer alters the state of the model layer.