Ecuador police arrest gang members in Guayaquil, Sucumbíos and Portoviejo

On July 11, 2026, Ecuador's National Police carried out simultaneous raids in Guayaquil and Samborondón, detaining seven suspects accused of running extortion schemes from the Penitenciaría del Litoral prison. Investigators linked the suspects to the criminal groups Los Águilas and Los Choneros, and recovered explosives and a payment record for a $3,000 demand.

Earlier, on July 8, police executed operation “Cero Impunidad 22167” in the community of Kukush, Sucumbíos, arresting three men suspected of murdering a local resident who had refused to join the Los Choneros gang.

Later on July 11, a separate operation in Portoviejo, Manabí, apprehended a man known as “Chicho” (Alan Josué M. S.), alleged member of the Los Lobos criminal structure, and seized a stolen Suzuki motorcycle linked to a 2024 theft case.