Topic

Brazilian organized crime

4 eventsActive since 20 Aug 2026Updated 4d agoConflict

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Police Seize 1.01 Tonnes of Cocaine at Ecuador's Posorja Port

On 21 August 2026, Ecuadorian authorities seized 1.01 tonnes of cocaine hidden inside four machines within a shipping container at the Posorja deep-water port. The seizure, designated as operation FÉNIX-0438, Encuentro 117, followed a risk assessment by the Centro Integrado de Análisis de Puertos y Aeropuertos (CIAPA) which had flagged the shipment for inspection on 13 August. The cargo, destined for the Mexican port of Lázaro Cárdenas, consisted of 928 blocks valued at US$2.1 million locally, with significantly higher potential market values in the United States and Europe. No arrests were reported following the joint operation led by the National Police and the Fiscalía General del Estado.

conflict5d ago

U.S. and Ecuador conduct joint military operations against drug cartels

The Ecuadorian Defense Ministry announced joint military operations with the U.S. Southern Command to combat drug cartels in Esmeraldas and near the Colombian border. The deployment, which includes three Black Hawk helicopters and two U.S. warships, follows a presidential decree granting U.S. military personnel visa exemptions and a 180-day stay in Ecuador. These operations are part of the "Shield of the Americas" coalition and aim to triple maritime patrol capabilities in areas where criminal groups use Pacific ports to traffic drugs. Additionally, Ecuadorian authorities are coordinating with Colombian security forces to share intelligence and operational targets against criminal structures.

political5d ago

Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha returns to office amid U.S. cartel allegations

Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha returned to office on Friday following a three-month leave of absence prompted by U.S. drug trafficking charges alleging his collaboration with the Sinaloa Cartel. Rocha, a member of the ruling Morena party, denied the allegations and claimed Mexican authorities found no evidence to support the U.S. case, which he characterized as a politically motivated attack on Mexican sovereignty. U.S. prosecutors had indicted Rocha alongside nine other current and former officials, accusing them of conspiring with the Los Chapitos faction to facilitate drug trafficking in exchange for bribes and political support.

conflict7d ago

Brazilian drug gangs compete for trafficking routes in remote Bolivia

Brazilian drug gangs pushed into the remote Bolivian river port of Guayaramerin to compete for control of trafficking routes across the Amazon River. The conflict led to reported attacks on people in the area. In response to the violence, security forces were deployed to the region to protect the local population.

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