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🇪🇨 Ecuador /Crime & Justice

Two security operations in Quito lead to arrests, closures and seizures

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • A security operation in La Michelena detained nine people, seized drugs, bladed weapons and alcohol, and closed seven businesses.
  • Around 300 national and municipal officials took part in the operation, while a separate action in Quitumbe detained two alleged members of Los Lobos.
  • Interior Minister John Reimberg said security controls would continue across Quito in response to conditions in the capital and citizen reports about public-space problems.

The Ecuadorian government says security operations will continue in Quito after a large deployment in La Michelena produced arrests, business closures and multiple seizures. Interior Minister John Reimberg attended the operation on the night of September 5 and linked the ongoing controls to the security situation in the capital and complaints about problems in public spaces.

About 300 officials from national and municipal institutions participated. The force included the National Police, the Armed Forces, Customs, Migration, the Pichincha governor’s office and the Quito municipality. Reimberg said the intervention also fulfilled a commitment to strengthen controls in La Michelena, where authorities receive frequent complaints about disturbances in the street.

The Interior Ministry reported nine arrests, the seizure of 5 kilograms of drugs, 49 bladed weapons and nine liters of alcohol. Authorities recovered seven motorcycles and held nine others. They also closed seven businesses, detained 20 Colombian and Venezuelan citizens over migration-related matters, and seized a cellphone.

The La Michelena operation formed part of Quito’s Protection Plan. A day earlier, police carried out Operation Atlas 133 in Quitumbe. Authorities arrested Bryan José G. M., known as “Colorado,” and Joel Fabricio R. S., known as “Gato,” whom the ministry identified as alleged members of the Los Lobos organized crime group and linked to suspected trafficking in controlled substances. That operation also produced the seizure of 2 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, marijuana plants and six mobile devices, while a vehicle was held.

The country’s security is a priority for the Government of Daniel Noboa.

· John ReimbergThe interior minister emphasized the government’s security focus during the La Michelena operation.
About this summary

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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