Quito, Ecuador – The Ministry of the Interior announced on Saturday that, in collaboration with the National Police, a total of 7.2 tons of drugs seized in various operations were destroyed.
According to the Ministry, the destruction included one ton of base cocaine and 6.2 tons of cocaine hydrochloride, all processed using the encapsulation method. The drugs were eliminated by an authorized environmental manager under a judicial order.
DESTRUCCIÓN DE 7,2 TONELADAS DE SUSTANCIAS SUJETAS A FISCALIZACIÓN
— Ministerio del Interior Ecuador 🇪🇨 (@MinInteriorEc) December 7, 2024
El @MinInteriorEc en colaboración con la @PoliciaEcuador destruyó 1 tonelada de pasta base de cocaína y 6.2 toneladas de clorhidrato de cocaína, a través del método de encapsulamiento.
➡️ La eliminación fue… pic.twitter.com/flO8maXM2N
This operation is said to have a significant impact on criminal organizations, with an estimated value of approximately 197 million USD in the United States, 295 million USD in Asia, 271 million USD in Europe, and 8 million USD in Ecuador.
Earlier this month, Deputy Minister of Citizen Security Lyonel Calderón reported that from January 1 to December 1, 2024, drug seizures had increased by 34% compared to the same period in 2023, reaching over 273 tons. This figure exceeds the average of 200 tons seized annually over the past three years. Ecuador has been ranked as the third country in the world for drug seizures, behind only Colombia and the United States.
Just last Thursday, the police reported the seizure of over 1.8 tons of cocaine found in a hiding spot near the city of Manta, likely waiting to be loaded onto vessels bound for North America.
