In brief
Ecuador is facing a spike in drug trafficking, with cocaine moving in from Colombia and Peru through local gangs tied to global cartels. Police forces are under pressure as homicide rates climb, with 9,200 deaths last year. The BBC’s reporter joins patrol units across the country to confront the gangs in person, shedding light on the harsh reality of law‑enforcement on Ecuador’s streets. The story highlights both the scale of drug smuggling and the desperate efforts of local officers to curb it. It also points to the broader regional impacts of the narcotics trade.
Confronting gang members at the heart of Ecuador’s drug battle
BBC correspondent Orla Guerin joins Ecuadorian police as drug‑trading gangs surge, revealing the front‑line struggle in this high‑crime nation.
Drugs are pouring into Ecuador from neighbouring Colombia and Peru — the world’s top producers — creating a surge in local drug crime.
Power‑house gangs that link to Mexican cartels and Albanian mafia orchestrate the smuggling, feeding the international cocaine market.
2025’s murder rate was one of the world’s highest, with over 9,200 people killed, according to the interior ministry.
United Nations monitors warn the situation is escalating, with violence escalating across border towns.