In the first month of 2022, drug seizures have doubled and violent deaths almost tripled in Ecuador

Drug seizures and murders increased last year and this first month of 2022 shows an upward trend.

Only in the first 31 days of the year, corresponding to January, 17.9 tons of prohibited substances were seized, compared to 8.4 tons last year in the same period.

In this same month, 758 operations have been carried out in which 857 suspects, 63 weapons, 11,798 ammunition, and $25,450 in cash were arrested.

Of the drug seized during January 2022, 98% corresponds to cocaine, but in addition 1.4 tons of marijuana, 101 kilos of cocaine base paste, 33.4 kilos of heroin were seized. According to the calculations of the Antinarcotics Unit, more than 168 million doses were taken out of circulation.

This police unit also told this newspaper that of the 17.9 tons seized during the first month of the year, 16.2 tons correspond to international traffic and 1.7 tons to traffic for domestic consumption.

One of the most relevant cases occurred on January 18. That day, 8 tons were seized on a farm owned by Isidro Ayora and in a house located in a residential area on the Salitre road. Half a ton of cocaine was found in a vehicle leaving the farm. In the building on the road to Salitre, where the rest was discovered. Apparently, the gang rented that property to store the alkaloid.

The drug seized during January is valued at 423 million dollars in the international market. And this damage to the drug gangs is what, according to President Guillermo Lasso, has caused the alarming increase in murders, because according to him, “practically zero drugs” are leaving the port of Guayaquil.

As of February 2, 313 violent deaths have been recorded nationwide. Of this figure, only 30 cases have been resolved, 281 are under preliminary investigation and in two cases ballots have been issued.

This increase in murders occurred in several provinces, especially in Zone 8 (Guayaquil, Durán and Samborondón), where five of the seven national ports are located, where it is presumed that the largest amount of drugs is removed.

This fight for territory waged by the gangs has raised the number of violent deaths in Zone 8 to 103 as of February 3. The figure tripled, since in the same period of 2021 there were 33 cases.

From the national figures, the Violent Deaths Unit (Dinased) said that 80.5% of the cases correspond to criminal violence. The rest are due to interpersonal violence or robbery, as is the case of the Dutch tourist who was shot in Las Peñas for allegedly resisting an assault. (I)