# Ecuadorian military operations against organized crime > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ecuadorian-military-operations-against-organized-crime > Updated: 2026-10-03T16:51:47.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. The Ecuadorian Armed Forces have conducted operations targeting organized crime infrastructure and personnel. In late September, a military operation in the El Aromo sector of Manta resulted in the deaths of three men, including Carlos Germán Muñoz Jara, an individual identified by the government as a suspected logistical and financial operator for international drug trafficking networks such as Los Choneros and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. During that incident, military personnel, supported by the United States Southern Command, recovered firearms and an explosive device. In early October, military forces targeted a suspected clandestine shooting range in the El Coco sector of Machala. Authorities discovered evidence of firearm use and shell casings, suggesting the site was modified for training members of Organized Armed Groups (GAO). The military used a controlled detonation to render the structure unusable. Investigations into the origin of the Machala facility are ongoing. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-03: Ecuadorian military disables suspected clandestine shooting range in Machala Ecuadorian military forces disabled a suspected clandestine shooting range used by organized crime groups in Machala, El Oro, following the discovery of ammunition casings and projectile impacts. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ecuadorian-military-disables-suspected-clandestine-shooting-range-in-machala ### 2026-09-29: Manta military operation leaves three dead in El Aromo Three men, including suspected drug trafficking operator alias ‘Charlie’, were killed in a military confrontation in Manta, Ecuador, during an operation supported by the US Southern Command. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/manta-military-operation-leaves-three-dead-in-el-aromo --- Cite as: Ecuadorian military operations against organized crime. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ecuadorian-military-operations-against-organized-crime