Mica for cartelinsider.com
The Ecuadorian Police reported the seizure of a significant shipment of cocaine during the early morning of February 18 in the province of Manabí.
“We seized about a ton and a half of substances subject to regulation that were thrown into the sea, following the chase of a vessel in Manta, #Manabí, which was attempting to follow the Pacific route to #Mexico,” wrote the security institution on its social media channels.
The people transporting said cargo were on a Go Fast-type boat. When the authorities located them, a maritime chase began, resulting in the seizure of 1,259 packages of cocaine, as well as two geopositioning buoys, which were thrown into the sea alongside the drugs.
In a video shared by the Police of Ecuador, the authorities explained that the material was found 100 nautical miles northeast of Manta.
Through the images shared by the Police of Ecuador, it can be seen that the substance found was in some sacks of various colors. In the recording, it can also be seen that the material was in brown packaging, while the secured buoys are black.
Furthermore, these were not the only actions carried out by Ecuadorian authorities, as their Police also reported the arrest of two Ecuadorian individuals and the seizure of 40 sacks of jute that allegedly contained drugs.
The previous events were derived from ‘Operation Mezcal’ in which security forces from Ecuador, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) from the United States, and coast guards from the nation participated. It is worth noting that the substance identified as an “alkaloid” was also destined for Mexico.
The apprehended suspects, Isidro S. and Santos Z. intended to transport the alkaloid to the coasts of Mexico using the maritime corridor of the Pacific. Among the evidence were found a boat, two outboard motors, and 40 sacks of drugs with an undetermined weight, as stated in the report of the events.
Although the criminal organizations responsible for recent seizures are not known, there have been numerous instances recorded where the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel (both Mexican criminal groups) have ties with Ecuadorian gangs.
Even a report from the Colombian Observatory of Organized Crime (OCCO) highlights that Ecuador is a relevant nation for national cartels due to the support that Ecuadorian groups provide them with drug trafficking.
“The local gangs play a fundamental role for international drug traffickers, as they help transport cocaine and provide security. This has created an atmosphere of territorial rivalry, where groups confront each other,” the report reads.
On January 7th, Ecuadorian authorities reported on the results of the operation known as “Operation Gran Fénix 03,” in which an international criminal group linked to the Sinaloa Cartel was dismantled.
Among what was secured in said operation were more than two tons of cocaine, as well as several Go Fast-type boats.
Thanks for reading!
Mica
Email: mica@cartelinsider.com
Follow: https://twitter.com/cartelinsider1
Discover more from Cartel Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
