Operation in Ecuador: they discover a network of anti-drug cameras to monitor the streets of Guayaquil

The National Police of Ecuador arrested this Wednesday two alleged leaders of the “Los Choneros” criminal gang and said they had dismantled a network of surveillance cameras with which this organized criminal group allegedly controlled a neighborhood of the city of Guayaquil.

This was stated in a press conference by the commander of the Police of the Metropolitan District of Guayaquil, Víctor Herrera, after an operation in which the agents They registered 32 properties in the Nueva Prosperina neighborhood, where he secured it “Los Águilas” and “Los Fatales” are operational.two factions of “Los Choneros”.

This criminal gang is led by drug trafficker Jose Adolfo Macías Villamar (“Fito”), who in late 2023 and early 2024 escaped from the Guayaquil regional prison where he was serving. a 34 year sentence of prison for drug trafficking, organized crime and murder.

Herrera assured that these two arms of ‘Los Choneros’ “have obtained through fear and extortion that the people leave your homes to be used as operations centers“in New Prosperina.

The items seized include a latest generation rifle for military use, a 9 mm caliber pistol, three magazines, 146 bullets of various calibers, five motorcycles and drugs. They also rescued an exotic bird found in one of these documents.

One of the two detainees has a criminal record for illicit association, while the other has a criminal record for illegal possession and carrying of firearms.

This operation was carried out in the framework of the “internal armed conflict” declared since the beginning of January by the government against organized crime, whose gangs it began to call terrorist groups and non-state belligerent actors.

This declaration, accompanied by a state of emergency with a night curfew, came after a wave of attacks and violent actions attributed to organized crime that included the kidnapping of police officers, assassinations, explosive devices, burning vehicles and prison riots with nearly 90 prisoners escaped and around 200 hostages released.

However, the image that went around the world of this succession of violent acts was the invasion of a television channel in Guayaquil by a group of at least 13 armed men who held its workers hostage for several hours during a live broadcast.

Strong pressure from the police

Even though Adolfo Macías was not captured, his men face increasing pressure of the Police and the Armed Forces. In the operation on Wednesday morningapproximately 500 uniformed officers acted in Guayaquil.

Using sledgehammers to break down his door, the Ecuadorian police surprised Pedro Oviedo alias “El Pingüino” and his brother at 4:30 in the morning. The two men they didn’t defend themselves despite it of the automatic rifle and the revolver found in his home.

police They entered 32 properties in the Nueva Prosperina neighborhood to find “El Pinguino”. “He dedicates himself to the administration of the territory, this means that he collects money from extortion, plans kidnappings and the most worrying thing is that they recruit minors so that they can be operators of organized crime”, explains Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Santamaria.

“El Pinguino” allegedly directs the gang’s operations The Fatalsarmed wing of Los Choneros.

They were also seized during the operation four stolen motorcycles, retail sale of drugs, cell phones, cameras, weapons and cash. “El Pingüino” did not hide his belonging to criminal groups by showing himself with a chain and a sign with the proud writing “100% chonero”.

Nueva Prosperina neighborhood: 560 murders in 2023

“In 2023, Nueva Prosperina was the most dangerous place in Guayaquil (Ecuador) and, in terms of violent deaths by population density, the third most dangerous in the world”, continues Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Santamaría.

Last year, 560 people were killed in the Nueva Prosperina neighborhoodin the northwest of Guayaquil.

Before the end of January 2023, 43 people lost their lives in violent events, so far in 2024 only 5 have died, an 88% drop that the authorities attribute to the massive presence of uniformed personnel already on the offensive against 10pm organized criminal groups considered terrorists by the government.