U.S. troops help Ecuador arrest dozens linked to ruthless cartel

Ecuadorian authorities said they detained more than 30 people in an operation aimed at a local arm of Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel, a criminal organization widely known by the initials CJNG. Interior Minister John Reimberg said the sweep involved support from U.S. military personnel and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, making it a cross-border law-enforcement effort focused on a network operating inside Ecuador.

The arrests were carried out before dawn on Thursday, according to Reimberg. He announced the operation in a post on X, describing the participation of Ecuadorian authorities alongside U.S. forces and the DEA. The minister said the action had broken up the cartel’s Ecuador-based branch, though the information released did not identify the detainees or set out their individual alleged roles.

The reported total exceeded 30 arrests, a significant figure in an operation directed at a single local cartel structure. Officials presented the raid as a move against organized crime rather than as an isolated arrest. The announcement did not provide a detailed account of the locations searched, the evidence seized, or the criminal allegations that may be brought against those taken into custody.

CJNG is a Mexico-based cartel that has become notorious in discussions of organized crime in the region. Ecuador’s assertion that it had targeted a local branch underscores the concern that groups with roots elsewhere in Latin America can establish connections beyond their original base. The operation also puts attention on the relationship between domestic criminal networks and larger transnational organizations.

U.S. participation was a prominent feature of the announcement. Reimberg said the operation was conducted with U.S. troops and the DEA, combining Ecuadorian action on the ground with support from two American institutions. Such coordination places the raid within a broader security relationship between Quito and Washington, rather than solely within Ecuador’s own campaign against criminal groups.

Ecuador has been working closely with the United States as President Donald Trump pursues a regional campaign against organized crime across Latin America. Quito is described as a U.S. partner in that effort and has shown strong willingness to cooperate. The Thursday operation offers a concrete example of how that alignment is translating into joint action involving Ecuadorian and American personnel.

The operation may carry significance beyond the number of people detained. By publicly linking those arrests to a CJNG branch, Ecuador’s government signaled that it views the case as part of a wider fight against organizations whose activities can extend across national boundaries. It also highlighted the role that foreign security assistance can play when authorities seek to confront groups with international connections.

At the same time, the details released so far leave important questions unresolved. The statement does not say whether officials believe the Ecuadorian branch has been completely dismantled, whether other suspects remain at large, or whether investigators expect additional action. It also does not specify the legal process ahead for those arrested or provide an account from the detainees.

For now, the official account establishes several central points: Ecuador says it moved against a local organization linked to CJNG; more than 30 people were arrested; and U.S. troops and the DEA took part. Further disclosures from investigators, possible court proceedings and any follow-up raids will be closely watched for a clearer picture of the network’s reach and the lasting effect of the operation.

Source: CBS World