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Confronting gang members at the heart of Ecuador’s drug battle
The BBC's Orla Guerin joined Ecuadorian police on patrol as they confront gang members amid a huge surge in drug-related crime sweeping the country. Ecuador has become a key transit hub for cocaine trafficking, with drugs flowing in from neighbouring Colombia and Peru, the world's two largest cocaine producers, before being smuggled onward by powerful domestic gangs.
These gangs are reportedly linked to Mexican cartels and Albanian mafia groups, underlining the international scope of the trafficking networks operating in the country. The scale of the violence is stark: Ecuador recorded one of the highest murder rates in the world last year, with more than 9,200 people killed, according to figures from the country's interior ministry.
In short
- BBC film crew joins Ecuadorian police confronting drug gangs
- Ecuador is a major transit route for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine
- Gangs linked to Mexican cartels and Albanian mafia; over 9,200 killed last year
Explained simply
Ecuador has become a crucial transit point in the global cocaine trade. Positioned between Colombia and Peru—the world's two largest cocaine producers—Ecuador serves as the natural route for drugs being smuggled northward to markets in North America and Europe. Criminal gangs within Ecuador control these trafficking networks and profit from moving the drugs through the country.
These gangs do not operate in isolation. Ecuadorian criminal organisations are reportedly linked to powerful Mexican cartels and Albanian mafia groups, creating international networks that span multiple continents. These international connections give the criminal operations significant resources and influence.
The human cost has been severe. Ecuador has experienced a sharp increase in violence connected to the drug trade, with gang conflicts and organised crime claiming thousands of lives. Last year, the country recorded one of the world's highest murder rates, reflecting how profoundly drug trafficking violence has affected public safety and stability.
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