Ecuador police seize card‑skimming ring in Quito using six Datafast devices

During the Apolo 34 operation in Quito, the National Police arrested 18 people and seized a range of evidence, including six Datafast terminals used to process purchases with stolen credit and debit cards. The suspect, described as a “lancero” and an Ecuadorian national with eight prior detentions, stole wallets and immediately made numerous transactions before victims could block the cards. Money from the fraud is believed to have been sent to Guayaquil in the Guayas province.

Colonel Germán León, commander of the Manuela Sáenz district, reported the seizure of 46 knives, an undisclosed amount of drugs, several vehicles and motorcycles, and announced the deportation of 25 foreign nationals (17 Colombians, 7 Venezuelans and 1 Haitian) linked to the operation. Police investigations continue to identify any wider network involved in the scheme.