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The notorious drug lord of Ecuador and leader of the ‘Los Choneros’ cartel, José Adolfo Macías Villamar, widely known as ‘Fito’, was apprehended by police in a secret chamber beneath his luxurious residence, bringing an end to his 17-month escape from the law.

Recently, Fito was arrested in his hometown of Manta, under a joint operation conducted by special police and military forces. Intriguingly, a crucial tip came from his 3-year-old daughter, who inadvertently disclosed the location of her father's hideout, allowing the police to confirm the timing for the raid. At the time, Fito was hiding in a secret bunker underneath the kitchen floor of his upscale residence.

During the approximately 10-hour standoff, police used heavy machinery to excavate and force Fito to surface. Realizing he might be buried alive, Fito eventually opened the bunker door and surrendered, only to be captured the moment his identity was confirmed by the armed officers.

The 45-year-old Villamar had been serving a 34-year sentence since 2011 for crimes including organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder. This was his second escape; the first occurred in 2013 but he was recaptured after three months. Following his escape from Guayaquil prison in January 2024, Ecuador experienced a surge in prison riots and significant social unrest, including armed assaults on television stations, taking hostages, and street gun battles, resulting in at least 20 deaths and forcing President Daniel Noboa to declare a state of emergency in several provinces.

In recent years, Ecuador has seen escalating gang violence due to disputes over drug trafficking routes. As a key transshipment point for cocaine from Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, Ecuador has become an integral part of the drug transportation chain. The Los Choneros gang that Fito leads has close ties with the Sinaloa Cartel from Mexico, controlling a drug network stretching from South America to the United States and Europe.

Fito's capture not only weakens the gang's power but also symbolizes a significant breakthrough for the government in its fight against transnational drug organizations. Following the arrest, President Noboa confirmed the news on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and stated that extradition proceedings with the United States had been initiated. The U.S. has leveled multiple drug and weapons charges against Villamar, which, if proven, could lead to life imprisonment.