A Cuban citizen identified as Reinel V. was arrested in Quito, Ecuador, after being sought by the United States for drug trafficking-related offenses and appearing on Interpol's red notice list, according to Ecuadorian authorities.
The arrest took place on Wednesday, March 11, during a military operation carried out by the Ecuadorian Army in the El Inca area, a densely populated neighborhood in the north of the capital.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, the Cuban is also identified as a suspected member of Los Choneros, regarded as the oldest criminal organization operating in the country.
According to authorities, the Cuban "is said to have played a role in coordinating drug shipments from Ecuador to the United States and Europe", routes used by criminal organizations involved in international drug trafficking.
According to the official version, the suspect was found inside a commercial establishment where he was allegedly employed as a manager.
During the operation, Ecuadorian military personnel entered the area to carry out the capture.
The Ministry of Defense confirmed that Reinel V. had a red alert from Interpol, a mechanism used to locate and temporarily detain individuals sought by international justice for extradition purposes.
After his arrest, the Cuban citizen was handed over to the Ecuadorian justice system, while the procedures related to his judicial situation and the request made by U.S. authorities continue.
Initial investigations suggest that the arrested individual is linked to drug trafficking networks operating from Ecuador, utilizing the country's maritime and logistical routes to send shipments of narcotics to international markets.
Indicated connections with Los Choneros
Authorities also identify him as a suspected member of Los Choneros, one of the most influential criminal gangs within the Ecuadorian criminal network.
This organization has been identified by security agencies as a key structure in the trafficking of cocaine to North America and Europe, in addition to engaging in other illicit activities.
Among the crimes attributed to this type of organization are:
-Shipping large shipments of cocaine to international markets
-Control of illegal mining areas
-Extortion of merchants and citizens through the collection of "protection fees"
Additionally, several investigations have documented connections between Ecuadorian gangs and Mexican cartels, particularly those from Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation, which has strengthened the drug trafficking networks operating in the country.
Ecuador and the Escalation of Criminal Violence
The capture occurs amid the offensive launched by the Ecuadorian government against criminal organizations.
Since the beginning of 2024, President Daniel Noboa declared a "war" against criminal gangs, which the government has classified as terrorist organizations, holding them responsible for the wave of violence that is shaking the country.
Despite this strategy, 2025 became the most violent year in the recent history of Ecuador, with 9,235 homicides recorded, according to official figures.
Authorities maintain that a large portion of this violence is linked to the rivalry between criminal groups involved in the international drug trafficking business, taking advantage of Ecuador's strategic location as a departure point for shipments of cocaine—mainly of Colombian origin—destined for the United States and Europe.
In that context, the arrest of the Cuban citizen is part of joint operations between Ecuadorian security forces and international organizations to combat transnational organized crime.
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