On October 21, 2024, around 09:30, the Ecuadorian National Police, through the National Anti-Drug Investigation Directorate, launched a major operation called ‘Jupiter’ in the Metropolitan District of Quito. This action led to the arrest of several individuals suspected of involvement in illegal drug trafficking.
The operation took place at the airport, in the apron area, where a cart containing six large cardboard boxes was found in the rear of a plane bound for Qatar. After a detailed inspection, assisted by the detection dog ‘Porto,’ police uncovered 384 brick-sized packages hidden under flowers in the boxes. These packages contained a whitish substance, which tested positive for cocaine hydrochloride, weighing a total of 385 kilos and 252 grams.
IMPEDIMOS QUE 384 PAQUETES CON DROGA LLEGUEN A CATAR
— Policía Ecuador (@PoliciaEcuador) October 22, 2024
Tras un operativo en el aeropuerto del #UIO, con ayuda de nuestro can detector, se localizó una carreta cerca de un avión con destino a Catar, contenía 6 cajas con flores, bajo las cuales se localizó el estupefaciente.… pic.twitter.com/3WBoVsaTLD
Immediately, the police contacted flight security officials and the supervisor of the personnel assigned to the aircraft. Security cameras were also checked, showing the cart’s movement from an external loading area, which helped identify the suspects. At the same time, the police coordinated with the Prosecutor’s Office and arrested a suspect traveling in a black car, believed to be part of this illegal operation.
After verifying all information, nine Ecuadorian citizens were arrested, including Juan Carlos P.R., Willian Paúl S.L., Lisbeth Carla T.C., Robinson Steeven G.J., Marlon Luis C.A., Alex Geovanny L.C., Darío Enrique C.B., Esteban Alejandro R.C., and Nahin Q.O. Nine mobile phones were also seized from the suspects.
Through this operation, authorities prevented nearly 4,000,000 doses of cocaine, valued at $17,179,000, from being distributed internationally, showcasing the agency’s continued commitment to fighting drug trafficking
