• Ecuador police free 49 people held by gang
• During a joint raid by security forces in a mining area, two suspected kidnappers were arrested
• The powerful Los Lobos gang, estimated to have 8,000 members, was identified as the group behind the abduction
• Originally a prison gang, Los Lobos has extended its influence beyond prison walls and is now heavily involved in contract killings, kidnappings for ransom, and extortion
• The police raid resulted in the seizure of dynamite, weapons and ammunition

Ecuador police free 49 people held by gang

Ecuadorian police have rescued 49 kidnapped individuals from the clutches of the notorious Los Lobos gang in the southern Azuay province. During a joint raid by security forces in a mining area, two suspected kidnappers were arrested.

The powerful Los Lobos gang, estimated to have 8,000 members, was identified as the group behind the abduction. Originally a prison gang known for instigating bloody riots, Los Lobos has extended its influence beyond prison walls and is now heavily involved in contract killings, kidnappings for ransom, and extortion.

The gang also collaborates with the Mexican Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), facilitating cocaine smuggling from Colombia through Ecuador’s ports to the US and Europe. This connection has made Los Lobos a formidable adversary for the Ecuadorian state, fueled by drug money and armed with weapons from their Mexican allies.

The police raid, which involved heavily armed officers entering a mine tunnel, resulted in the seizure of dynamite, weapons, and ammunition. Video footage released by the police shows the intensity of the operation.

While limited information has been released about the freed hostages, an earlier statement from the Ecuadorian armed forces confirmed that three women were among them.

Ecuador has experienced a surge in gang violence in recent years as transnational criminal organisations exploit the country’s large ports for drug exportation. In response to escalating violence, President Daniel Noboa deployed the army in January to combat the gangs, particularly in Guayaquil, the country’s largest city and main port. The recent raid in Azuay indicates that mining areas are now also being targeted by gangs like Los Lobos.

As Ecuador grapples with this growing threat, the government and security forces continue their efforts to restore order and protect citizens from the expanding reach of criminal gangs.