Ecuador police rescue kidnapped lawyer in Quito, $7,000 extortion demand
On 4–5 July 2026 the National Anti‑Kidnapping and Extortion Unit (UNASE) of the Ecuadorian police carried out an operation in the San Roque district of central Quito. The operation freed a 28‑year‑old lawyer who had been held in an apartment after his captors demanded USD 7,000, claiming the money was owed for legal fees. Police located the premises, entered the building and rescued the victim, who was found with visible injuries. Two suspects were apprehended – a 40‑year‑old woman and a 16‑year‑old adolescent – and placed under custody. Seized evidence included two mobile phones, a vehicle, a knife, a bat and packing tape used to restrain the victim. The rescue was conducted under the police’s “Operational Strategy 3D” aimed at dismantling kidnapping and extortion networks. The investigation remains ongoing.