Ecuador nabs Los Lobos kingpin 'Pipo' in international sting

Ecuador has captured a paramount leader of the notorious Los Lobos drug cartel, a fugitive who had fabricated his death and was living under a false identity in Europe. President Daniel Noboa confirmed the arrest of Wilmer "Pipo" Chavarria, labeling him the most wanted criminal in the region, in a significant victory for the nation's ongoing battle against powerful trafficking syndicates.

Transnational Operation and Criminal Charges

The high-value target was located and detained in the city of Malaga, Spain, following a coordinated operation between Ecuadorian and Spanish National Police forces. Chavarria faces a litany of serious accusations, including ordering numerous assassinations, overseeing illegal mining activities, and managing critical narcotics trafficking corridors in alliance with Mexico's Jalisco Nueva Generacion cartel. Ecuador's Interior Minister directly linked him to approximately 400 homicides.

A Fugitive Believed Dead

The capture concludes a manhunt for a criminal who had successfully evaded authorities by staging his own death in 2021. President Noboa expressed that tracking down Chavarria despite the false reports of his demise was a key achievement. He emphasized the importance of international collaboration, stating that such partnerships are "a necessity" to effectively dismantle transnational criminal networks. In a public address, Noboa declared, "We have captured the highest-value target. Today the mafias fall back. Today Ecuador wins."

International Recognition and US Designation

The successful sting operation drew praise from the United States, with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau congratulating Ecuador for apprehending "one of the most notorious organized crime figures in Latin America." Landau added a stark warning, suggesting that "if governments are not actively fighting crime, it's because they're complicit." The Los Lobos organization, which maintains ties with major Mexican cartels, was formally designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US in September, cited for its violent campaigns against public officials and security forces to control Ecuador's drug routes.