HomeNewsBriefQuito Police Battle Rising Tide of Micro-Trafficking
BRIEF

Quito Police Battle Rising Tide of Micro-Trafficking

ECUADOR / 2 DEC 2013 BY NATALIE SOUTHWICK EN

Quito police have identified dozens of micro-trafficking hotspots within the Ecuadorean capital, as well as the groups running them, offering further evidence of the rise of domestic consumption amid the country's growing status as an international drug transshipment point.

In one central section of the capital alone -- the neighborhood of San Roque -- anti-narcotics police have noted the presence of 37 marijuana vendors, while cocaine sales in the same area are apparently controlled by two groups, reported El Comercio.

Another key neighborhood in the city's micro-trafficking trade is the upscale La Mariscal area, which has seen a rise in drug activity as it has become more popular with tourists. According to authorities, both sectors were formerly under the control of the Cordillera gang, a Colombian organization that controlled a large portion of drug trafficking and money laundering in the city. One Cordillera leader, Oscar Alcantara Gonzalez, was arrested in March in Quito, where he had been based since 2010.

Earlier this year, it was reported that micro-trafficking was on the rise in ten cities across the country, amid reports of growing activity from Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel and the identification of more than 100 drug routes into the country from neighboring Colombia and Peru.

InSight Crime Analysis

In recent years, Ecuador has become an increasingly important transit point for transnational drug trafficking networks, with weak port security allowing trafficking groups to increase their reliance on shipping containers.

As large quantities of drugs continue to move through the country, Ecuador has seen the growth of domestic micro-trafficking networks -- likely spurred by transnational groups paying local operatives in product.  

See Also: Coverage of Ecuador

Despite the increase in domestic networks, Ecuador's drug trade is still dominated by foreign groups, with Colombia's Urabeños notable players alongside the likes of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Cordillera reportedly controlled the majority of micro-trafficking in Quito for several years, earning up to $20,000 a day. However, Alcantara's arrest has likely left the organization exposed to challenges from other organizations keen to claim a stake in Quito's increasingly lucrative micro-trafficking trade.

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

BOLIVIA / 9 AUG 2022

Politicians are pushing for the Chilean government to declare a state of emergency in the northern regions including Tarapacá…

ECUADOR / 30 SEP 2021

Ecuador is reeling from its worst-ever prison massacre in Guayaquil but the factors that led to this situation could well…

DRUG POLICY / 20 MAY 2022

A spate of gang-related killings has caused panic in a marginalized area of Uruguay’s capital of Montevideo, raising debate about…

About InSight Crime

WORK WITH US

Open Position: Social Media and Engagement Strategist

27 MAY 2023

InSight Crime is looking for a Social Media and Engagement Strategist who will be focused on maintaining and improving InSight Crime’s reputation and interaction with its audiences through publishing activities…

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…