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Ecuadorian and Canadian police have arrested 26 members of the "Los Lagartos" group linked to the Albanian mafia after a 20-month drug trafficking investigation.
Ecuadorian authorities, with the support of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), have arrested 26 people during Operation Bremen, targeting a drug trafficking network linked to the Albanian mafia, according to statements by Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg.
The operation was the result of a 20-month investigation that took place in several provinces of the country and that, according to authorities, led to the dismantling of a criminal structure linked to the Los Lagartos organized crime group, Ecuadorian media report .
Police conducted 20 raids in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Chimborazo. Authorities seized about 300 kilograms of drugs and confiscated five luxury vehicles.
According to Minister Reimberg, the operation constitutes a blow to the criminal economy of the Albanian mafia and its operational network in Ecuador.
The investigation began after authorities discovered 1.1 tons of drugs hidden in gold-bearing material in 2024. Following this discovery, the investigation deepened and led to the seizure of about 2.5 tons of drugs.
According to authorities, the criminal network used a method known as “container contamination,” hiding drugs in legitimate shipments carrying bananas or mining materials. In some cases, the drugs were placed before the goods entered the port, while in other cases they were introduced during transport or inside the container structures.
Authorities also identified that the drugs were transported through several provinces of the country, while part of the network dealt with logistics and cargo transportation.
According to police estimates, the seized drugs represent an economic damage of around $68 million to criminal organizations.
Authorities said that while checks and arrests were being carried out in Ecuador, coordinated operations were also being carried out in other countries to capture people waiting for drug shipments abroad.
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