The amount of drugs seized in an operation carried out over the weekend in Ecuador amounted to about 22 tons of cocaineas reported this Monday by the Ecuadorian armywhich would be one of the largest seizures in the country's history.
The nearly 22 tons of drugs found in the tropical province of Los Ríos were distributed in 733 packagesThe Army stated in its X social network account, which estimated the value of the shipment at more than one billion dollars in the international market.
(Also read: Senior US officials arrive in Ecuador to address the drug violence crisis).
It represents a strong weakening of the operational, logistical and financial capacity of drug trafficking.
On Sunday, the discovery of ten tons had been reportedbut the figure has been modified with the progress of the operation allegedly carried out on a pig farm where this large amount of cocaine was hidden and stored.
It is presumed that this material could have been transported to markets in Asia, Europe, and North and Central America, “using low-performance light aircraft,” the Army added.
He pointed out that this operation represents a strong weakening of the operational, logistical and financial capacity of drug trafficking worldwide, generating a loss of 50,000 dollars per kilo.
(Keep reading: President of Ecuador announces 'traffic light' of the curfew: how will it work?).
“The success of the military operation is the product of more than six months of the execution of observation and surveillance strategies carried out by our military intelligence,” the Army said.
In the same operation, the military They found 12 rifles and more than 5,000 bullets 5.56 caliber.
The Army accompanied its message with photographs and a video showing the seized weapons and the packages with drugs.
́
Within the framework of the military operation carried out in #EsteroLagartoso far the following has been recorded:
* Nearly 22 tons of cocaine hydrochloride distributed in 733 packages.
It is presumed that this material could have been… https://t.co/aDAw44mhVK pic.twitter.com/y4LPfQiyyr
— Ecuadorian Army (@EjercitoECU) January 22, 2024
In recent years, Ecuador has become a key point in global cocaine trafficking.
The operation took place at a time when a state of emergency is in force in Ecuador, with a night curfew, as well as the declaration of a “internal armed conflict“against organized crime groups, mainly dedicated to drug trafficking.
Last week there was a wave of attacks and violent actions attributed to these groups, which included the kidnapping of police officers, murders, explosive devices, burning vehicles, riots in prisons with 200 hostages (already released) and the takeover of a television channel by of 13 armed hooded men, now detained.
(You can read: The keys to the plan that the Andean Community approved to confront organized crime).
The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, has identified organized crime gangs as terrorist groups and non-state belligerent actors to be neutralized by the Armed Forceswho are now in charge of the country's security.
Surrounded by Colombia and Peru, the two largest world producers of cocaine, Ecuador has become a key point in the global trafficking of this drug in recent years, as mafias take advantage of its ports and coasts to send tons of this drug to Europe and North America.
This has also made him the third country in the world that seizes the most drugsonly behind Colombia and the United States, as it has exceeded 200 tons of narcotics seized annually in the last three years.
During the weekend a 'narcosemisubmersible'which was carrying more than three tons of cocaine and which was manned by three men of Colombian nationality who were detained.
EFE
More news in EL TIEMPO
#largest #seizures #Ecuador #tons #cocaine #seized