Ecuador security forces conduct nationwide crime crackdowns

Ecuadorian security forces have conducted a series of operations across several provinces, resulting in numerous arrests and the seizure of illegal items. In Quito, the Ecuadorian Army seized 17 homemade explosives, weapons, and narcotics during an operation in the Comité del Pueblo sector, leading to the arrest of two individuals, one of whom is allegedly linked to the organized crime group ‘Los Lobos’.

In other regions, the National Police dismantled extortion networks and intercepted drug trafficking activities. In El Oro, Manabí, Guayas, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, police arrested eight suspects involved in extortion attempts totaling approximately $35,000. One specific operation targeted a network coordinating threats from within a prison facility.

Additional law enforcement actions included the arrest of two individuals in the Galápagos Islands for fraud and drug trafficking, and the seizure of nearly 2,000 doses of marijuana and cocaine in Riobamba. In southern Quito, three men were detained following reports of gunfire in a public area, where police recovered an industrial firearm and ammunition.