# Ecuadorian military operations against illegal resources

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ecuadorian-military-operations-against-illegal-resources
> Updated: 2026-09-22T16:55:00.000Z. Sources: 21. Developments: 2.

The Ecuadorian military has launched several operations across various provinces to combat illegal resource extraction, including gold mining and oil trafficking.

In the Amazon region, specifically within the Napo, Pastaza, and Morona Santiago provinces, the army targeted clandestine mining camps. These operations resulted in the seizure of heavy machinery, such as excavators and suction pumps, with estimated economic damages to illicit operations ranging from $270,000 to nearly $600,000. Experts suggest that the rise in illegal mining is driven by high gold prices, noting that approximately 77% of gold produced in Ecuador is estimated to be illegal.

Subsequent operations expanded the scope to include illegal oil trafficking and artisanal mining in the Chimborazo and Azuay provinces. In Chimborazo, authorities intercepted a tanker containing 8,000 gallons of illegal crude oil. In Azuay, military forces dismantled an unauthorized mining camp in the Zhuzho community, confiscating equipment such as an artisanal dredge and water pumps.

## Claims

- The operation, named Águila Alta, took place between August 31 and September 21. (disputed by 6 sources)
- The Mexican Army neutralized five commercial drones used by criminal groups. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- Authorities detained one person and seized a firearm, magazines, and cartridges. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- One of the drones was detected on the U.S. side before entering Mexican territory. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- The operation involved 800 military personnel and equipment capable of jamming drones within a three-kilometer radius. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-22: Operation Águila Alta concludes with five drones neutralized on US-Mexico border

Mexico and the U.S. concluded Operation Águila Alta in the Tijuana-San Diego region, neutralizing five drones used by criminal groups and detaining one person to combat drug and human trafficking.

19 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ecuadorian-military-seizes-illegal-oil-and-dismantles-mining-camp

### 2026-09-07: Ecuadorian Army targets illegal mining with major machinery seizures

Ecuadorian military operations in the Amazon provinces of Napo, Pastaza, and Morona Santiago have disabled heavy machinery and camps used for illegal mining, causing significant economic losses to illicit syndi

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ecuadorian-army-targets-illegal-mining-with-major-machinery-seizures

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Cite as: Ecuadorian military operations against illegal resources. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ecuadorian-military-operations-against-illegal-resources