Ecuador arrests 2 Mexicans linked to CJNG, citing coordinated work with US

Ecuadorian authorities have arrested two Mexican citizens suspected of ties to the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The detentions occurred during predawn operations across multiple provinces, which also resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of drugs and over $1 million in cash.

Interior Minister John Reimberg reported that the two Mexicans were allegedly involved in drug trafficking operations with the Ecuadorian criminal group 'Los Lobos.' Their activities reportedly involved using clandestine airstrips and planes to transport narcotics from Ecuador to North America. Reimberg emphasized that these actions were a "coordinated effort with the United States" and a major blow to criminal structures.

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This is a coordinated effort with the United States and a great blow to these criminal structures.

These operations, including one named 'Jericó' following a year-long investigation, led to 24 arrests in total and the confiscation of 1.5 tons of drugs, along with cash, weapons, and aircraft. The coordinated efforts involved 300 police officers and 36 prosecutors, targeting organizations linked to Los Lobos and Los Choneros, groups implicated in cocaine trafficking through Ecuador to international markets.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the US Southern Command confirmed their support for the operations, hailing them as a "decisive victory for the region." General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the Southern Command, stated that these actions strike a significant blow against the logistics, finances, and leadership of a regional illicit network fueling corruption and violence across the Western Hemisphere.

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Backed by the powerful and precise capabilities of the U.S. Government’s integrated team, these operations strike a hard blow to the logistics, finances, and leadership of a regional illicit network that has propagated corruption and violence throughout the Western Hemisphere.