[REVISION HISTORY]

Ecuadorian police operations and new coastal curfews

Updated 12 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-11 01:02 UTC → 2026-09-12 00:33 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Ecuadorian police operations ~~against organized crime~~ and new coastal curfews

Ecuadorian law enforcement has conducted several operations targeting various forms of criminal activity across different regions. In Guayas and Tungurahua, police arrested individuals involved in extortion and the theft of copper cable. In Playas, the Anti-Kidnapping and Extortion Unit (Unase) detained two adults and one minor suspected of demanding $5,000 through threats. In Ambato, three Colombian nationals were arrested for allegedly stealing approximately 300 meters of copper cable from the electrical company EEASA. Following these actions, the National Police launched the ‘Apolo 36’ operation in the Quito Metropolitan District, targeting the Eloy Alfaro and Quitumbe districts, which resulted in the arrest of seven individuals for drug trafficking and the seizure of 19 kilograms of suspected cocaine. In the Esmeraldas province, raids in the Esmeraldas and Quinindé cantons led to the arrest of six individuals linked to three separate extortion investigations. Authorities seized seven mobile devices, one firearm, and one motorcycle during these operations. In north-central Quito, police dismantled a suspected international extortion call center operating under the guise of the company Latameris Support S.A. at the Torre Blanca building. The raid resulted in the arrest of ten individuals, including a Chinese national identified as suspected leader Yang Xiao Long. Investigators uncovered messages containing threats, sexual intimidation, and violent imagery used to extort victims both within Ecuador and internationally. On August 22, 2026, UNASE conducted operations across five provinces—Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Santa Elena, and Esmeraldas—resulting in the arrest of 24 individuals suspected of kidnapping and extortion. Subsequently, during ‘Operativo Libertad 978’, police dismantled an extortion ring operating from within correctional facilities, including the Guayas N.° 4 Regional Prison. On August 27, 2026, security forces continued nationwide crackdowns. In early September 2026, security operations expanded. On September 2, 2026, the newly established Directorate of Anti-Kidnapping and Extortion Investigation (Dinae) began operations.

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