Latest news with #extradited
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Recently recaptured Ecuador drug lord ‘Fito' accepts US extradition request
Ecuador's most infamous drug lord has agreed to be extradited to the United States to face cocaine and weapons smuggling charges, a court in the capital Quito has said. The announcement on Friday is the latest chapter in the dramatic underworld tale of Adolfo Macias, alias 'Fito', who was recaptured in June after escaping from a maximum security prison 18 months ago in a jailbreak that triggered a bloody wave of gang violence. Macias, head of the 'Los Choneros' gang, is wanted in the US on charges of cocaine distribution, conspiracy and firearms-related crimes, including weapons smuggling. After Macias vanished from his prison cell in the southwestern port of Guayaquil in January 2024, authorities had been scouring the world for him, offering a $1m reward for information leading to his capture. But it emerged that the country's most wanted man was hiding out at a family member's mansion in his hometown. Ecuadorian security forces recaptured the drug kingpin last month at an underground bunker beneath a marble-walled house in the port city of Manta, some 260km (160 miles) southwest of the capital, Quito. The former taxi-driver-turned-crime-boss had been serving a 34-year sentence since 2011 for involvement in organised crime, drug trafficking and murder. In a country plagued by drug-related crime, Los Choneros members responded with violence as the manhunt began after their leader's escape – using car bombs, holding prison guards hostage and storming a television station during a live broadcast. President Daniel Noboa's right-wing government had recently declared, 'We will gladly send him and let him answer to the North American law.' Macias, dressed in an orange prison uniform, took part in a court hearing Friday via videolink from a high-security prison in Guayaquil. In response to a judge's question, he replied, 'Yes, I accept (extradition).' This would make Macias the first Ecuadorian extradited by his country since the measure was written into law last year, after a referendum in which Noboa sought the approval of measures to boost his war on criminal gangs. Ecuador, once a peaceful haven wedged between the world's two top cocaine exporters, Colombia and Peru, has seen violence erupt in recent years as rival gangs with ties to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for control. These gang wars have largely played out inside the country's prisons, where Macias wielded immense control. He was the unofficial boss of his Guayaquil prison, where authorities found images glorifying him, weapons and US dollars. Videos of parties he held in the prison captured fireworks and a mariachi band. In one sequence, he appeared waving, laughing and petting a fighting rooster. Macias earned a law degree behind bars. By the time he escaped, he was considered a suspect in the assassination of presidential candidate and anticorruption crusader Fernando Villavicencio in 2023. Soon after Macias's prison break, Noboa declared Ecuador to be in a state of 'internal armed conflict' and ordered the military and tanks into the streets to 'neutralize' the gangs. Los Choneros has ties to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, Colombia's Gulf Clan – the world's largest cocaine exporter – and Balkan mafias, according to the Ecuadorian Organized Crime Observatory. More than 70 percent of all cocaine produced in the world now passes through Ecuador's ports, according to government data. In 2024, the country seized a record 294 tonnes of drugs, mainly cocaine.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Ecuador's top drug lord agrees to US extradition
Ecuador's most notorious drug lord has agreed to be extradited to the United States to face cocaine and weapons smuggling charges, a court in Quito said Friday. Adolfo Macias, alias "Fito," was captured in June after escaping from a maximum security prison last year in a jailbreak that sparked a severe wave of gang violence. Macias, head of the "Los Choneros" gang, is wanted in the United States on charges of cocaine distribution, conspiracy and firearms-related crimes, including weapons smuggling. The former taxi driver turned crime boss became the prime target of Ecuadoran law enforcement early last year after escaping from prison in the southwestern port of Guayaquil. He had been serving a 34-year sentence since 2011 for involvement in organized crime, drug trafficking and murder. President Daniel Noboa's government at the time released "wanted" posters and offered $1 million for information leading to Macias's recapture. In a country plagued by drug-related crime, Los Choneros members responded with violence -- using car bombs, holding prison guards hostage and storming a television station during a live broadcast. After months of pursuit, Macias was recaptured last month in a massive military and police operation in which no shots were fired. He was found hiding in a bunker concealed under floor tiles in a luxury home in the fishing port of Manta, and Noboa declared he would be extradited "the sooner the better." "We will gladly send him and let him answer to the North American law," Noboa told CNN at the time. - Fighting cocks and mariachi bands - Macias, dressed in an orange prison uniform, took part in a court hearing Friday by video link from a high-security prison in Guayaquil. In response to a judge's question, he replied, "Yes, I accept (extradition)." Given his consent, the court said in a statement "the pertinent procedure for the transfer process" will now follow, with Noboa having to sign the official handover papers. This would make Macias the first Ecuadoran extradited by his country since the measure was written into law last year after a referendum in which Noboa sought the approval of measures to boost his war on criminal gangs. Ecuador, once a peaceful haven between the world's two top cocaine exporters Colombia and Peru, has seen violence erupt in recent years as enemy gangs with ties to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for control. Gang wars have largely played out inside the country's prisons, where Macias wielded immense control. He was the unofficial boss of his Guayaquil prison, where authorities found images glorifying the gangster, weapons and US dollars. Videos of parties he held in the prison showed the use of fireworks and a mariachi band. In one clip, he appeared waving, laughing and petting a fighting rooster. Macias earned his law degree behind bars. By the time he escaped, he was considered a suspect in the assassination of presidential candidate and anti-corruption crusader Fernando Villavicencio in 2023. Soon after Macias's prison break, Noboa declared Ecuador to be in a state of "internal armed conflict" and ordered the military and tanks into the streets to "neutralize" the gangs. Los Choneros has ties to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, Colombia's Gulf Clan -- the world's largest cocaine exporter -- and Balkan mafias, according to the Ecuadorian Organized Crime Observatory. More than 70 percent of all cocaine produced in the world now passes through Ecuador's ports, according to government data. In 2024, the country seized a record 294 tons of drugs, mainly cocaine. pld/dw/mlr/
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
George Gibney: Former swimming coach to be extradited to Ireland
Former Irish national swimming coach George Gibney, who is wanted in the Republic of Ireland to face historical sexual abuse charges, is to be extradited there, a court in the United States has ruled.A US district magistrate made the order at a hearing in Orlando, Florida, on Irish government has sought Mr Gibney's return to face 78 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape against four girls aged between eight and 14 at the time of the alleged Gibney had consented to his extradition and asked the court to expedite his departure to Ireland. He left Ireland more than 30 years ago and has not been back Gibney was arrested in Florida by US Marshals at the start of this has been remanded in the custody of the US Marshals at Orange County Jail, pending arrangements being made to transport him to Gibney sat in a wheelchair in the courtroom and was dressed in a uniform issued by Orange County Jail, Irish national broadcaster RTE judge asked Mr Gibney a series of questions about the affidavit he signed giving up his right to contest his detention and his right to contest the extradition Gibney replied "yes" to the questions. It was previously reported that gardaí (Irish police) reopened an investigation into Mr Gibney after a number of people made allegations against him on the BBC podcast Where is George Gibney? five years criminal investigation was commenced in 2020 by a specialist team within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau. A file was sent to the Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP) three years DPP examined the file and recommended that Mr Gibney was charged.
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE extradites Indian man wanted for running synthetic drug lab
A key suspect in a major Indian narcotics case has been extradited from the UAE to India, Indian authorities confirmed on Friday. Kubbawala Mustafa, wanted by Mumbai Police for his alleged involvement in operating a synthetic drug manufacturing facility, was extradited to India through coordinated efforts between India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Interpol, and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Abu Dhabi. Extradition is the removal of a person (typically referred to as a fugitive, according to legal experts) "from a requested jurisdiction to another jurisdiction for criminal prosecution or punishment." According to a statement issued by the CBI, a four-member team of Mumbai Police travelled to Dubai earlier this week and brought Mustafa back to Mumbai on July 11. He was reportedly tracked down in the UAE following close coordination between Indian and Emirati agencies. Mustafa is facing charges under a 2024 case registered in Mumbai, in which authorities allege he was involved in running a synthetic drug lab in Sangli, Maharashtra. The operation, allegedly run with others, led to the seizure of over 126kg of mephedrone from the facility. An open-dated arrest warrant was issued against Mustafa after a Red Notice was published by Interpol in November 2024. The extradition was facilitated following a formal request by Indian authorities and subsequent approval by NCB-Abu Dhabi in June this year. The CBI said it has successfully brought back over 100 wanted individuals in recent years via Interpol coordination, with Mustafa being the latest.
BreakingNews.ie
7 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
George Gibney to be extradited to Ireland over sex crime charges
Former Irish swimming coach George Gibney has agreed to being extradited from the US to stand trial over multiple sex offence charges. He also has withdrawn a request to contest his continued detention, which was due to be heard in court on Friday. Advertisement Mr Gibney, who had sex offence charges against him dismissed in the 1990s, has lived in the US for years. He was arrested on an Irish extradition warrant earlier this month. He appeared before Magistrate Judge Daniel C Irick on July 1st for an initial appearance on extradition proceedings. Mr Gibney's lawyer, Alec Fitzgerald Hall, said on Thursday that after meeting his client to discuss the case, the former swimming team coach has agreed to be extradited to Ireland. Court documents, seen by PA media, stated that Mr Gibney met with his lawyer on July 8th and was fully advised of his rights in an extradition proceeding, his right to a detention hearing, and his right to an extradition hearing. Advertisement As a result of the meeting, Mr Gibney decided to withdraw his request to a detention hearing and stipulate to detention. Mr Gibney also told his lawyer that he wanted to waive his extradition hearing and be extradited to Ireland. 'An Affidavit of Waiver of Extradition Hearing will be filed as soon as possible,' the court document stated. Mr Gibney has been charged with 78 counts of indecent assault and one charge of attempted rape against four minor females aged between eight and 15 years at the time of the alleged offences. Advertisement Following his decision, Mr Gibney will be extradited to Ireland and is likely to appear before a Dublin court. In 2020, the podcast Where Is George Gibney, produced by Second Captains and the BBC, highlighted allegations of abuse against Mr Gibney and prompted new complainants to come forward. In a statement, a spokesman for the gardaí said: 'An Garda Siochana is aware of the arrest of a male aged in his 70s in the United States on foot of an Irish international arrest warrant. 'As this is currently a matter for the US authorities, An Garda Siochana will not be commenting further at this time.' Advertisement
