Ecuador prison raid uncovers hidden arsenal, averts potential massacre

On July 17, 2026, Ecuadorian Armed Forces and the Task Force 100.71 "Control Guayaquil" carried out an operation at the Penitenciaría del Litoral in Guayaquil. They uncovered a clandestine compartment beneath a cement structure that contained more than 80 grenades, over 12,000 cartridges of various calibers, eight rifles, four pistols, a shotgun, 19 magazine loaders, and two improvised grenade launchers.

Interior Minister John Reimberg said the cache was intended for a planned mass attack between rival criminal gangs inside the prison, while Defence Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo noted that mafias had hidden the weapons there for at least two years, believing time would protect them. The seized material has been turned over to competent authorities for ballistic, technical and chemical forensic analysis to determine its origin and any links to violent incidents.