Leader of Los Lobos gang apprehended by Ecuadorian authorities

An alleged leader of the powerful criminal organization Los Lobos, which specializes in drug trafficking, has been arrested by police in Ecuador. The man, identified as Jaime S.C., was apprehended in the port city of Puerto Bolívar while in possession of a large sum of money and armed. During the transfer of the suspect to police headquarters, gunmen believed to be from his gang opened fire, injuring one officer. Even after the suspect was detained, soldiers guarding the police headquarters were targeted in a subsequent attack. In a statement, the police revealed that Jaime S.C. had been carrying $13,5000 (£11,000), the origin of which he could not explain. Los Lobos, consisting of approximately 8,000 members, is considered one of the most influential criminal organizations in Ecuador. Although many of its members are in prison, the gang is still operational and has been accused of inciting violent prison riots in the country. Additionally, Los Lobos is believed to have ties to the Mexican Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), employing Ecuador's port cities to smuggle cocaine from Colombia to the US and Europe. Ecuador has experienced a surge in violence, resulting in a quadruple increase in its homicide rate between 2018 and 2022. The newly sworn-in President, Daniel Noboa, has pledged to combat drug trafficking and dismantle the grip that criminal gangs have on the country. In one of his first actions as president, Noboa has repealed a policy that allowed the possession of small amounts of drugs, citing its contribution to micro-trafficking in schools and the creation of a generation of drug-addicted children.