Ecuadorian ports targeted by ’Ndrangheta and Albanian crime networks

Criminal organizations, including the Italian ’Ndrangheta and Albanian networks, are increasingly utilizing Ecuador as a strategic hub for cocaine trafficking to Europe. This criminal ecosystem integrates local gangs, Latin American cartels, and Balkan networks to exploit Ecuador’s major commercial ports.

Criminal groups leverage the country’s massive banana export industry to hide narcotics within legitimate container shipments. The shift in focus from small-scale coastal smuggling to large-scale maritime logistics is driven by the high volume of trade and the strategic position of Ecuador between major producers like Colombia and Peru.

Global cocaine production reached a record approximately 4,100 tons in 2024. In Ecuador, authorities seized nearly 300 tons of drugs in 2024, with over 70 tons confiscated in the early months of 2026 alone. Experts note that the ’Ndrangheta acts as an international intermediary, financing shipments and organizing logistics rather than seeking direct territorial control.