Ecuador's Most Wanted Drug Lord Captured: A New Chapter in the Drug War

Ecuador's notorious drug trafficker Wilmer Chavarria, alias 'Pipo,' was captured in Spain after faking his death. Leader of the Los Lobos gang, recently deemed a terrorist group by the U.S., Chavarria moved drug shipments and ran extortion schemes. His capture coincides with Ecuador's referendum on foreign military bases.

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa announced the capture of one of the country's most wanted drug traffickers, Wilmer Chavarria, also known as 'Pipo,' in the Spanish city of Malaga. The arrest was part of a joint operation with Spanish police, targeting the leader of the notorious drug trafficking group Los Lobos.

The Los Lobos gang, under Chavarria's command, consists of around 8,000 fighters and was recently classified as a terrorist organization by the United States. They have been linked to various political assassinations in Ecuador and have cooperated with Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Chavarria managed to evade capture by faking his death amid the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting a new identity in Spain, and continuing to orchestrate drug shipments and crime operations back in Ecuador.

Once a peaceful nation, Ecuador has seen a surge in violent crime and homicides linked to its role as a cocaine transit point between Colombia and Peru. This rise in violence has prompted the government to propose a referendum allowing foreign military bases to assist in anti-drug operations. The recent capture of Chavarria highlights the ongoing struggle against drug trafficking that has plagued the country.

(With inputs from agencies.)