In brief
BBC reporter Orla Guerin joined Ecuadorian police on a hard‑tack patrol in the midst of a drug‑crime surge. Cocaine pouring in from Colombia and Peru fuels local gangs that tie into Mexican cartels and the Albanian mafia. The country recorded more than 9,200 homicides last year, placing it among the world’s deadliest. Police and armed forces face new tests of anti‑corruption, training and community outreach to curb escalating violence. This frontline report shows how Ecuador battles intimidation and corruption as it cements a high‑stakes war on drugs.
Confronting gang members at the heart of Ecuador's drug battle
BBC reporter Orla Guerin joined Ecuadorian police on a hard‑tack patrol, as the country struggles with an explosive rise in drug‑related crime.
Colombia and Peru, the planet’s most prolific cocaine producers, flood Ecuador’s borders, and local gangs—linked to Mexican cartels and the Albanian mafia—turn the country into a key transit hub.
In 2025 the interior ministry recorded more than 9,200 homicides, placing Ecuador among the world’s deadliest nations.
Officials say the armed forces and police now face new anti‑corruption measures, enhanced training and community outreach to keep crime from spiraling further.
- Drug inflow from Colombia & Peru.
- Local gangs escorting shipments.
- Police patrols intensify.
- 9,200+ murders marked high murder rate.