Ecuadorian police, with support from U.S. Southern Command personnel and the DEA, arrested more than 30 suspects in coordinated raids on a drug network allegedly linked to Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The operation, involving over 320 Ecuadorian officers and 50 U.S. personnel, followed an eight-month probe that traced shipments from Colombia through Ecuador to Central America, the U.S. and Europe. Authorities say ports in Guayaquil and Machala were used and estimate seizures were worth about $322 million to the criminal network. President Daniel Noboa urged enhanced U.N.-backed measures to track illicit funds and improve cross-border policing.
Ecuador and U.S. Forces Dismantle Cartel-Linked Drug Network; Over 30 Arrested
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa used his address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Wednesday to call for greater international cooperation against transnational criminal organizations. Photo by Peter Foley/UPI
Ecuadorian authorities, supported by U.S. Southern Command personnel and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), arrested more than 30 suspects Thursday in coordinated early-morning raids targeting a drug-trafficking network allegedly tied to Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Operation Details
The multi-province operation involved more than 320 Ecuadorian police officers and about 50 U.S. Southern Command personnel and took place in the coastal provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos and El Oro. Officials said an eight-month investigation found the network received narcotics from Colombia, stored and transported shipments through Ecuador, and then moved consignments by sea to Central America, the United States and Europe.
Interior Minister John Reimberg identified the ports of Guayaquil and Machala as key logistics nodes used to store and ship large quantities of drugs. Authorities estimate that the seizures uncovered during the probe represented roughly $322 million in value to the criminal organization.
Among those detained were suspected leaders and financiers, including an alleged ringleader arrested in the upscale Isla Mocolí area of Samborondón. Officials said follow-up searches and arrests were still under way Thursday morning.
Political Context and International Cooperation
The raids came a day after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York, urging stronger international coordination to combat transnational organized crime. In a post on X, Noboa wrote:
"Yesterday, before the U.N., I spoke about a reality: no state can confront alone an enemy that crosses borders."
Noboa proposed three measures to bolster global efforts: creating a U.N.-based mechanism to track and freeze illicit financial flows; establishing a permanent platform for information sharing among police, prosecutors and financial intelligence units; and giving greater weight to transnational organized crime in U.N. conflict-prevention work.
Related Operations
The raids followed a separate Ecuadorian security operation the previous day against Los Choneros, one of the country’s most powerful criminal groups. Authorities said that operation killed a man known as "Charlie," described as an important logistical and financial operator for international drug-trafficking networks. U.S. Southern Command commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan praised Ecuador’s forces and reiterated U.S. commitment to support regional partners through the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition.
Note: All reported details are based on official statements from Ecuadorian authorities and U.S. partners. The investigation and related operations were described as ongoing at the time of reporting.
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