Ecuadorian authorities have successfully apprehended Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as Fito, leader of the notorious Los Choneros gang, in a sophisticated raid on an underground bunker, following multiple high-profile incidents and a significant prison escape.
Ecuador's Infamous Drug Lord Fito Captured in Daring Police Operation
Ecuador's Infamous Drug Lord Fito Captured in Daring Police Operation
Adolfo Macías Villamar, leader of the Los Choneros gang and wanted fugitive, has been apprehended in an underground bunker during a remarkable joint police and military operation.
Police in Ecuador have successfully recaptured Adolfo Macías Villamar, commonly referred to as "Fito," who is recognized as the country's most wanted drug lord. Fito, the leader of the criminal organization Los Choneros, has been held responsible for the alarming spike in violence, contributing to Ecuador’s emergence as a nation with one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America. His criminal activities include the suspected orchestration of the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023.
Law enforcement located Fito in an elaborate underground bunker situated beneath a luxury residence in Manta. The extensive operation, which involved both police and military forces, lasted 10 hours and concluded without any shots being fired. Authorities initially surveilled and surrounded the three-story property located in Manta's Monterrey district. Upon breaching the premises, they discovered a secret sliding door camouflaged to pass for part of the stone floor that led to Fito's underground lair. The bunker contained amenities like air conditioning, a bed, and a fridge, suggesting a high level of comfort.
Fito reportedly surrendered without resistance and was subsequently airlifted to Guayaquil, home to Ecuador's largest maximum-security prisons. Photos of his arrival in Guayaquil show him dressed casually in shorts and flip flops, escorted by armed personnel to a waiting SUV before being transferred to La Roca prison.
President Daniel Noboa commended the efforts of law enforcement in apprehending Fito and announced plans for his extradition to the United States, where he faces charges related to cocaine trafficking. Fito's previous escape from La Regional prison in Guayaquil in January 2024 left the nation on high alert, resulting in deadly riots and a state of emergency declaration by Noboa.
While serving a sentence for homicide and drug-related offenses, Fito rose to prominence as leader of Los Choneros after the demise of the previous leader. From prison, he coordinated gang operations, maintaining extensive control over drug trafficking and extortion activities. His connections with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel have modernized gang violence in Ecuador, introducing brutal tactics resembling those associated with Mexican cartels, including beheadings and other gruesome acts.
Fito's escape, which gained international media attention, was a significant setback for President Noboa, who was elected on a commitment to confront the escalating influence of organized crime. Following Fito's recapture, Noboa expressed optimism about his government's approach to controlling the surge in gang violence, asserting, "More [drug lords] will fall; we will regain [control of] the country."
