Ecuador arrests financier of 'Pipo' in international operation against Los Lobos
Ecuadorian police detained Jackson Felipe Z., alleged financier of narco leader Wilmer Chavarría, in Operation Gran Fénix-Cantabria with Europol and Spain.
International operation dismantles drug trafficking financial network linked to Los Lobos
Ecuadorian police arrested Jackson Felipe Z. on Thursday, identified as one of the main financiers of Wilmer Chavarría, alias 'Pipo', leader of the criminal group Los Lobos. According to larepublica.ec, the detention was carried out in coordination with Europol, the Guardia Civil and Spanish police as part of Operation "Gran Fénix-Cantabria".
Interior Minister John Reimberg identified the detainee as "one of Pipo's main financiers since 2022" and described the operation as a "blow to the business, logistics and finance heart of international drug trafficking".
'Pipo' detained in Spain since 2025
Chavarría was arrested in November 2025 in Málaga, where he had arrived in 2022 under a false identity from Colombia after faking his death in Ecuador. According to authorities, he had undergone seven facial surgeries to avoid being recognised. His defence is currently attempting to halt the extradition process.
The origin: 13,000 cocaine packages in Algeciras
The investigation that led to Thursday's operation began in October 2024, when approximately 13,000 cocaine packages were seized at the port of Algeciras, Spain. The container had departed from a port terminal in Guayaquil, south-west Ecuador.
Following that investigation, 14 seizures were made totalling approximately 42.5 tonnes of cocaine recorded in Ecuador, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands, equivalent to 1,680 million dollars, Reimberg stated. On Thursday morning an additional 630 kilogrammes and 1.5 tonnes were seized, valued at 85 million dollars, bringing the total seized to 1,765 million dollars.
Network active since 2019 with branches in Europe and the United Arab Emirates
According to the minister, the organisation had operated since 2019 with a presence in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos and Pichincha, and connections with citizens based in Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
The investigation identified a network of at least 15 companies dedicated to the export of fruit, cocoa, seafood and timber, used to conceal drug shipments. These groups would allegedly be linked to the Balkan mafia and the Moroccan mafia, with whom they would have coordinated the acquisition of cocaine from Colombian laboratories, its transport to Ecuador and subsequent maritime shipment to Europe.
21 arrested and 23 simultaneous raids
The operation carried out early Thursday morning resulted in 21 arrests: 19 civilian Ecuadorians and two active-duty police officers. Simultaneously, 23 raids were conducted on properties linked to those under investigation and to the business network. Authorities seized mobile terminals, computer storage devices and business and financial documentation.
Source: EFE / larepublica.ec
Source: Google News EC — Crime