logo
Ecuador extradites leader of violent Ecuadorian drug gang to the United States

Ecuador extradites leader of violent Ecuadorian drug gang to the United States

Washington Post5 days ago
QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador on Sunday extradited to the United States the leader of a violent Ecuadorian gang who relied on hitmen, bribes and military weapons to do business.
José Adolfo Macías Villamar , whose nickname is 'Fito,' escaped from a prison in Ecuador last year and was recaptured late June. In April, a U.S. Attorney indicted him in New York City on charges he imported thousands of pounds of cocaine into the United States.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Greek port workers jailed pending trial on drug smuggling charges
Greek port workers jailed pending trial on drug smuggling charges

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Greek port workers jailed pending trial on drug smuggling charges

ATHENS (Reuters) -Six workers at Greece's largest port Piraeus, arrested for allegedly participating in a gang smuggling cocaine hidden in shipping containers from Latin America, were jailed pending trial on Friday, legal sources said. The case is the third investigation since 2023 that has led to the arrest of port workers on drug trafficking charges. The suspects, employed by a private company handling cargo operations at Piraeus port were arrested on Monday. On Friday they responded to charges including participation in an international criminal organisation at least since 2024, according to police officials. They have denied wrongdoing. The drugs were concealed in refrigerated containers loaded with bananas which were shipped from Ecuador, the police said. Greek police said the investigation, which revealed the gang's tactics and included surveillance of their communications, was launched after a tip-off by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The criminal ring, led by an Albanian gang, exploited the workers' access to port facilities and knowledge of loading and unloading cargo procedures, the police officials said. The alleged gang members were tasked with locating the ships and extracting the cocaine parcels from the containers, and one of them was in contact with the drug buyers in Albania, the officials added. Three guns and bullets were confiscated during the operation. Defence lawyer Nikos Aletras told Reuters that the initial investigation was "rushed" and the charges were aggravated, as seven suspects appeared before a prosecutor on Friday to respond to the accusations. Six of them were later detained pending trial and a seventh suspect was released. South American production of cocaine has surged over the past decade, with traffickers helping to turn Europe into a major consumer and a transit point for cocaine. European countries have been seizing record quantities of cocaine annually since 2017.

Chicago Ridge, Illinois drug bust nets $1 million in cocaine thanks to K-9 officer Storm
Chicago Ridge, Illinois drug bust nets $1 million in cocaine thanks to K-9 officer Storm

CBS News

time7 hours ago

  • CBS News

Chicago Ridge, Illinois drug bust nets $1 million in cocaine thanks to K-9 officer Storm

A K-9 sniffed out seven figures worth of cocaine in a Chicago Ridge drug bust earlier this week, police said. Chicago Ridge police said they assisted the Drug Enforcement Agency in a narcotics investigation on Wednesday night. As part of the operation, Officer A'Hearn and his K-9 partner Storm went to unincorporated Will County to track down a luxury SUV suspected to be transporting large amounts of illegal drugs. Storm gave a positive indication for narcotics when sniffing the exterior of the vehicle, prompting a search by DEA agents that uncovered approximately 60 kg of suspected cocaine, as well as cash. The cocaine is estimated to be worth $1 million, Chicago Ridge police said. The investigation is ongoing and being led by the DEA. Chicago Ridge police did not release any information about whether charges have been filed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store