Illegal rehabilitation center shut down in Quito's Píntag district

A joint operation involving the Metropolitan Control Agency (AMC), the Agency for Quality Assurance of Health Services and Prepaid Medicine (ACESS), and the National Police has led to the closure of a clandestine rehabilitation center in Píntag, a district in the southeastern part of Quito, Ecuador. During the inspection, officials discovered approximately 10 individuals residing in the facility without the necessary legal permits.

Inside the illicit center, conditions were dire. Rooms were reportedly locked at night to prevent patients from escaping, and common areas such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and meeting rooms were equipped with permanently secured bars, restricting the movement of those housed there. Investigations during the operation revealed that families were paying monthly fees of up to $300 per resident.

Furthermore, some of the individuals interned claimed they were admitted through forced transfers, indicating they did not voluntarily seek treatment. Although the center's administrator described it as a "shelter home," documents found on-site suggested the provision of therapies for alcoholism and drug addiction without the required municipal permits. Metropolitan supervisor Gustavo Chiriboga stated that establishments operating outside regulations face fines of around $4,000, and the immediate precautionary measure of closure was implemented.

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establishments that operate outside the regulations can receive economic sanctions of approximately 4,000 dollars.