US, Ecuador Launch Joint Raids Against Drug Networks; 16 Arrested, Tons of Cocaine Seized

• US and Ecuador, with Europol, conducted joint operations targeting a large-scale drug-trafficking network linked to the Los Lobos gang.
• The operation led to the arrest of 16 suspects, including a "high-value target," and involved over 100 law enforcement officers.
• Investigation, which began in January, resulted in the seizure of over 7 tonnes of cocaine in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Ecuador.
• Drugs were hidden in fruit containers bound for Europe, with Los Lobos collaborating with an Albanian trafficking network for distribution.
• Ecuador, a major transit point for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine, faces a severe drug-fueled turf war, prompting President Noboa to declare a curfew.