Ecuador’s Drug War Intensifies as Eight Bodies Discovered

On June 3, 2026, police in Ecuador discovered eight bodies encased in plastic bags near Babahoyo, a region plagued by drug trafficking. These individuals disappeared on Sunday while traveling from Daule to Milagro, according to Colonel Galo Munoz, the police chief in the area.

The investigation coincides with a military offensive supported by the U.S. to combat organized crime. This crime surge has marred Ecuador’s reputation, transforming it from one of South America’s safest nations to one of its most perilous.

Interior Minister John Reimberg disclosed that a note found at the scene implicated the victims as targets of the Los Lobos gang. This organization, now classified as a terrorist entity by the United States, is locked in a violent conflict with its rival, Los Choneros.

Los Lobos and Los Choneros are major players in drug trafficking and extortion in Ecuador. Modesto Freire, the state prosecutor of Milagro, confirmed that two missing individuals were minors, and their families identified them as farmers from Daule, a prominent rice-growing area.

Ecuador serves as a crucial export hub for cocaine from Colombia and Peru, the world’s chief producers. The struggle for control of this lucrative drug trade has ignited a wave of violence, especially around Guayaquil and Manta, critical points for drug smuggling.

In January, the bodies of six youths were found in the neighboring Santa Elena province. Last year, Ecuador reported over 9,200 violent deaths, a record figure highlighting the escalating violence.

President Daniel Noboa, a fervent supporter of President Trump, has imposed curfews and mobilized the military in various provinces to curtail the gangs’ influence. Recently, American commandos collaborated with Ecuadorian forces in operations to dismantle a coastal criminal hub allegedly operated by a narco-terrorist group.

In early March, joint military operations by the U.S. and Ecuador targeted these designated terrorist organizations.

Despite these efforts, gang violence persists. In June 2025, authorities recaptured Ecuador’s most notorious drug lord, Adolfo Macías of Los Choneros. His 2024 escape from a high-security prison marked a significant security lapse. By July 2025, Ecuador extradited Macías to the U.S., where he faces several charges related to drug trafficking and firearms.