Ecuador Makes Historic Drug Seizure at Pig Farm
In a historic drug seizure, Ecuadorian authorities discovered 22 tons of cocaine hydrochloride buried in a pig farm in the Estero Lagarto sector, in the coastal province of Los Rios. This marks the largest drug seizure in a single location in the country’s history.
The drugs were found concealed in 733 jute bundles, perfectly packaged as bricks and labeled with the names of various airline companies as supposed destinations for the drugs. “There are six different logos that make it clear what the destinations were,” said Cesar Zapata, police commander.
The operation, carried out by 150 soldiers, spanned from Sunday morning to dusk, and resulted in a billion-dollar seizure in the international market. The soldiers dug four meters underground for hours, uncovering nearly 10 tons of the illicit substance. The search then led them to a sewer duct, where an additional 12 tons of cocaine hydrochloride were located.
The authorities believe that the farm was not only a transit point for drugs but may have also served as a drug processing laboratory. Additionally, 12 rifles and over 5,000 pieces of ammunition were found at the property.
The success of the operation was attributed to six months of investigation and surveillance by the military intelligence unit, although the ownership of the property has yet to be determined.
Ecuador is known to be a major transit country for cocaine, and international drug trafficking has been a major factor in the country’s ongoing gang-related violence. In the first days of 2024, Ecuador experienced an average of 27 violent deaths per day. The state of war decree issued on January 9 has helped reduce this to 10 daily events, according to the Police commander.
The authorities are now working to quickly destroy the seized drugs, which will require the use of a military truck.
It’s instances like this that remind us of the ongoing battle against drugs on an international scale.