Ecuador’s Most Wanted Drug Lord Captured in Underground Hideout
After nearly 18 months on the run, Ecuador’s most notorious drug lord, Adolfo “Fito” Macías, has been recaptured in a dramatic military-police raid. Authorities found the Los Choneros leader hiding in a bunker concealed beneath a kitchen counter in Manta. The secret room—fitted with air conditioning and a fridge—was part of a luxury home equipped with a gym and game room. No shots were fired during the 10-hour operation.
Fito’s escape from Guayaquil prison in January 2024 triggered chaos across Ecuador—deadly riots, bombings, kidnappings, and even an armed TV station takeover. The government declared a state of emergency and labeled 22 gangs, including Los Choneros, as terrorist organizations. President Daniel Noboa, who had offered a $1 million reward for Fito’s capture, praised the operation, writing, “More will fall, we will reclaim the country. No truce.”
Once a symbol of impunity, Fito is now set to be extradited to the U.S. to face drug trafficking and firearms charges. His gang’s ties to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and a record of brutal violence—including suspected political assassinations—helped transform Ecuador from a peaceful nation into a hub of cartel-driven crime.
