BABAHOYO — Eight bodies were found in plastic bags on the outskirts of Babahoyo, Ecuador. Colonel Galo Muñoz, area police chief, confirmed the discovery, saying, "It has been confirmed that there are eight bodies" found on the outskirts of the town of Babahoyo.
The victims had not been identified at the time of reporting, though authorities believe they are linked to a group of eight people who disappeared on Sunday while traveling from Daule to Milagro, located about 30 miles south of Babahoyo. Two of the missing individuals were minors, according to a state prosecutor in Milagro. The missing persons were farmers from Daule, a rice-growing region, as stated by their families.
A note found at the scene indicated the victims were targeted by the Los Lobos gang as part of its conflict with the rival Los Choneros gang, Interior Minister John Reimberg said. Both Los Lobos and Los Choneros are among Ecuador’s primary drug trafficking and extortion organizations, with ties to international cartels. In September, the United States designated Los Lobos a terrorist organization.
Ecuador has become a key transit point for narcotics, serving as a gateway to international markets for an estimated 70% of the cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru. The struggle for control of drug trafficking routes has fueled a surge in violence, particularly in port cities such as Guayaquil and Manta. The country recorded more than 9,200 violent deaths last year, the highest annual tally on record. In response to escalating gang-related violence, President Daniel Noboa has imposed curfews and deployed military forces to several provinces in an effort to restore order and combat organized crime.