HomeNewsBriefMexican 'Narco-Plane' Crashes in Ecuador
BRIEF

Mexican 'Narco-Plane' Crashes in Ecuador

ECUADOR / 15 MAY 2012 BY EDWARD FOX EN

A suspect plane carrying over $4 million in cash crashed in northwest Ecuador, killing two Mexican citizens on board, in an indication of the importance of the country as a drug transhipment point and money laundering location.

The Mexican-registered light aircraft (pictured) crashed on Sunday into the so-called "Hill of Death," 26 kilometers southeast of Pedernales in the Pacific province of Manabi. It did not have permission from Ecuador's aviation authority, which stated that the plane was flying too low in order to avoid being detected by radar, reported AFP.

Authorities believe that the two deceased Mexicans were either planning to launder the money, estimated to be $4-5 million in US currency, or use it to purchase narcotics.

Ecuador's Interior Minister Jose Serrano declared that while transnational criminal organizations are not necessarily located in Ecuador, they do operate through the country, which is an important transit point for drugs, reported El Universo.

According to El Comercio, this is the fourth Mexican suspected narco-plane to be found in Ecuador since 2003. The most recent was discovered in September with 1.5 tons of narcotics on board, reportedly belonging to a Mexican-headed criminal group.

InSight Crime Analysis

If the crashed plane was indeed carrying money to pay for a drug shipment, this would be further evidence of Mexican groups' presence in Ecuador. The country's drug trade is dominated by Mexican and Colombian gangs, with the Colombian Rastrojos reportedly the most powerful criminal organization in Ecuador, sending drug shipments from Pacific ports up to Mexico. The Mexican Sinaloa Cartel are also thought to be present.

Mexican criminal organizations are increasing their control further down the drug supply chain, coming to South America themselves to carry out drug deals and organize the shipments north. Though not a major drug-producing nation, Ecuador is a key transit point for narcotics. According to the UN, the Andean country seized the second highest quantity of cocaine in South America in 2009.

The money laundering thesis is also plausible -- Ecuador is a good location for laundering illicit funds, as it uses the US dollar as its currency.

Last month, Ecuador's defense minister unveiled a plan to train some 4,000 military personnel to combat organized crime, days after President Rafael Correa declared that the military was key to a successful fight against criminal gangs. This followed concerns within the military command, expressed in a leaked document, that the country could soon be overrun by organized crime.

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

COVID AND CRIME / 19 AUG 2021

The number of human trafficking victims in Mexico is growing, as traffickers target vulnerable people hit hard by the COVID-19…

MÉXICO / 25 MAR 2022

According to the Mexican president, the recent arrest of the alleged leader of the Northeast Cartel followed by a major…

CHINA AND CRIME / 14 APR 2022

The full threat posed to Mexico's biodiversity by both Mexican and Chinese organized crime networks has been revealed in a…

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Receives Great Reception

27 MAY 2023

Several of InSight Crime’s most recent articles about Venezuela have been well received by regional media. Our article on Venezuela’s colectivos expanding beyond their political role to control access to…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime's Chemical Precursor Report Continues

19 MAY 2023

For the second week in a row, our investigation into the flow of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of synthetic drugs in Mexico has been cited by multiple regional media…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime’s Chemical Precursor Report Widely Cited

THE ORGANIZATION / 12 MAY 2023

We are proud to see that our recently published investigation into the supply chain of chemical precursors feeding Mexico’s synthetic drug production has been warmly received.

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime’s Paraguay Election Coverage Draws Attention 

5 MAY 2023

InSight Crime looked at the various anti-organized crime policies proposed by the candidates in Paraguay’s presidential election, which was won on April 30 by Santiago Peña. Our pre-election coverage was cited…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime Cited in OAS, CARICOM Reports

28 APR 2023

This week, InSight Crime’s work was cited nine times in a new report by the Organization of American States (OAS) titled “The Impact of Organized Crime on Women,…