- About 22 tons of cocaine were seized in the city of Vincennes in Ecuador on Sunday.
- More than 150 soldiers were sent to Los Rios province. The huge sums there have to be sifted and taken away.
- The drug is intended for export to Europe and Asia.
22 tons of cocaine seized during military operation in Ecuador More than 150 members of the armed forces have arrived in the province by land and air to carry out “the largest operation ever carried out in this country” after months of investigations, the army said. The armed forces posted the first videos on X (Twitter) on Sunday, showing large packages wrapped in plastic.
The drugs were seized in the basement of a banana plantation in the city of Vinces, Los Rios province. The Ecuadorian newspaper “El Universo” reported the discovery of about 22 tons; However, the exact amount is yet to be officially weighed and confirmed.
Medicines for export
Ecuador is a major transit country for cocaine trafficked from Colombia, Peru and Bolivia to the Americas, Asia and Europe. The drugs must have been distributed from the warehouse to various ports, where they were then shipped, “El Universo” quoted the official in charge of the operation.
Some brick-sized blocks wrapped in plastic were labeled with the initials of two European airlines. Apart from drugs, mostly cocaine, guns, ammunition, knives and radios were also confiscated.
Drug-related crime has increased in Ecuador in recent weeks. Several gangs with ties to powerful Mexican cartels struggle to control drug trafficking routes. The government blames drug gangs for the growing violence in the country. A recent attack on a hospital led to hostages and live television broadcasts interrupted by gunmen.
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