U.S. troops help Ecuador arrest dozens linked to notorious Mexican cartel

TL;DR

U.S. troops and DEA assisted Ecuador in arresting over 30 members of a local CJNG branch.
The arrested individuals are suspected of trafficking cocaine from Colombia via Ecuadorian ports.
The operation involved around 320 Ecuadorian police officers and 50 U.S. Southern Command personnel.
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa defends the offensive against organized crime, despite human rights concerns.
Ecuador has become a cocaine trafficking hub, facing gang violence linked to Mexican and Colombian cartels.
The country previously extradited drug lord Adolfo Macías to the U.S. in July 2025.

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