21 alleged members of Los Lobos, Los Choneros and R7 were apprehended in three provinces; there is a police officer involved

The police operation called Jupiter allowed this Thursday the arrest of 21 people who are alleged members of criminal organizations, such as Los Lobos, Los Choneros and R7.

They are attributed, according to the Minister of the Interior, Juan Zapata, various crimes, such as terrorist attacks with explosive devices at gas stations -last November 3-, extortion, kidnapping, terrorism, intimidation, vehicle theft, robbery on road axes, carrying weapons and illicit drug trafficking.

Lemon-type fragmentation grenade was the one that exploded at political headquarters in Manabí

Among the detainees is a police officer on active duty, who warned of the operations that this entity was going to carry out. He was a district commander in Buena Fe, in the province of Los Ríos.

The criminal acts were carried out in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Los Ríos and Manabí.

The police commander, Fausto Salinas, mentioned that the modus operandi of criminal organizations was the identification of people of high economic status to kidnap them and ask them for large sums of money before releasing them.

Of the 21 detainees, all Ecuadorians, 16 have criminal records for robbery, indecent assault, illicit drug trafficking, extortion, possession of weapons, among others.

Four people were injured after attack on the headquarters of the candidate for mayor of Portoviejo

4 firearms, 145 ammunition, 5 vehicles, 5 motorcycles, 3 feeders, 20 mobile terminals, a bulletproof vest with a police logo, cash, a Motorola radio and drugs were seized.

The arrests were made in Santo Domingo for the alleged crimes of extortion and “vaccines”; in Manabí for micro-trafficking, kidnapping for extortion and terrorism; in Los Ríos for drug trafficking, extortion and hit men.

Two of the detainees, Salinas said, are linked to attacks on gas stations last November.

Another vehicle detonated at a Santo Domingo gas station

In Carchi, the officer said, nine foreigners were apprehended who presumably are part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua.

Zapata asked the National Assembly for reforms to the disciplinary regime so that there is agility when discharging bad troops.

In addition, that justice acts with the full weight of the law. (YO)