International operation in Ecuador, 21 arrested and 45 tons of cocaine seized

A joint operation by Ecuadorian and Spanish authorities and Europol has dismantled an international network trafficking cocaine to Europe, leading to the arrest of 21 people, including two serving police officers.

The operation was made public on Thursday, October 8, while the investigation, launched in 2024, led to the seizure of approximately 45 tons of cocaine. The value of the drugs is estimated at $1.7 billion.

According to Ecuador’s Interior Minister, John Reimberg, the criminal group concealed its activities behind export companies, which were used for drug trafficking and money laundering.

The network exploited Ecuador’s legitimate export channels to send large cocaine shipments to European markets. Authorities suspect that at least 15 exporting companies were involved in the scheme.

These businesses exported fruit, cocoa, fish and timber. The drugs were concealed inside containers transporting these products, in an attempt to evade inspections along the route.

The main destinations for the shipments were Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Among those arrested is Jackson Sabrano. Minister Reimberg described him as one of the main financiers of the leader of the Los Lobos criminal organization, also known as “The Wolves.”

Los Lobos is considered one of the most powerful criminal groups in Ecuador and is suspected of being particularly involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining.

According to authorities, the organization is led by Wilmer Chavarria, known as “Pippo.” He has been held in a prison in Spain since 2025, and in Ecuador he is accused of involvement in planning the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was killed in 2023.

Minister Reimberg announced Sabrano’s arrest in a post on the X platform, emphasizing the importance of targeting the financial resources that support criminal organizations.

The international investigation gained momentum after 13 tons of cocaine were seized in Spain. The drugs had been concealed in a shipment of bananas from Ecuador that arrived at the port of Algeciras, in the south of the country.

The seizure served as the basis for expanding the investigation. Authorities began tracking the companies and individuals suspected of playing a role in organizing the drug shipments.

Subsequent operations and searches carried out in various countries led to the discovery of additional shipments. In total, the amount of cocaine seized reached approximately 45 tons, with an estimated value of $1.7 billion.

In recent years, Ecuador has become a major hub for international cocaine trafficking in Latin America. Its location between Colombia and Peru, two of the world’s largest cocaine producers, has made the country an important transit point for criminal networks.

Estimates cited by authorities indicate that around 70% of the cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru passes through Ecuador before being sent to foreign markets.

Meanwhile, the country is facing an escalation in criminal violence, as drug-trafficking groups and local gangs fight for control of smuggling routes and other illegal activities.