Arrest of wife and daughter of Los Choneros leader in Colombia
Colombian police and the FBI arrested the wife and daughter of Adolfo Masías, known as Fito, for laundering more than 25 million dollars.
Colombia and FBI apprehend relatives of drug baron "Fito"
Colombian police and the United States federal police FBI arrested the wife and a daughter of Adolfo Masías — known by the nickname "Fito" — leader of the Los Choneros gang, which is considered the most powerful criminal organisation operating in Ecuador, announced Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, according to In.gr.
His wife, Inda Peñarrieta, and his daughter, Mitchell Masías, were arrested in the north-eastern part of Colombia, in a joint operation by Colombian police, FBI agents and with assistance from their counterparts in Ecuador.
The two women are accused of money laundering worth more than 25 million dollars. According to the Colombian president, Ecuadorian authorities are conducting an investigation into the use of shell companies for the purpose of legalising proceeds of the Los Choneros organisation.
"I will gladly send them to my friend, President Noboa, so they can answer before the justice system," wrote de la Espriella via X. Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa responded immediately also via X: "That's how it's done, Abelardo: together and with results", clarifying that the process of transferring them to Ecuador has already begun.
Masías himself was extradited to the United States in 2025, where he faces charges for drug and arms trafficking. If convicted, he faces a sentence of between 20 years and life imprisonment.
Los Choneros has been designated a "terrorist" organisation by the United States and is reported to maintain links with the Mexican Sinaloa cartel. Ecuador, formerly known as an oasis of peace in the region, has become one of the most dangerous fields of gang clashes in Latin America, with homicide rates among the highest on the continent. Approximately 70 per cent of the cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru is trafficked through the country.
Source: In.gr