Police officer and inmate face charges following cash seizures in Ecuador and Peru

In Quito, Ecuador, a second corporal from the police force is facing preventive detention after allegedly stealing approximately $5,990 during a crime scene investigation. The incident occurred on September 25, 2026, when officers responded to a residence where a 68-year-old man had been found dead. According to prosecutors, the officer admitted to taking the cash and hiding it under the driver's seat of the patrol vehicle. A direct procedure trial has been scheduled for October 14.

Separately, in Arequipa, Peru, security agents from the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) seized more than S/40,000 in cash from an inmate, Abdon Chicaña Samayani, during a routine inspection of a minimum-security pavilion. The money was discovered inside a backpack. Authorities also confiscated prohibited items, including sharp objects, lighters, and pipes. The origin of the funds is currently under investigation by the Prosecutor's Office and the National Police.