On Sunday, January 11, police discovered five severed human heads on the beach of the fishing port of Puerto Lopez, in southwestern Ecuador. The gruesome find was another manifestation of brutality in the criminal war for control of drug trafficking. This was reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
The heads were hung on ropes from wooden poles directly on the coast. Next to them, the attackers left an inscription with threats against individuals who allegedly extorted money from local fishermen. The police of Manabí province link this crime to a conflict between transnational drug cartels fighting for logistical routes.
Context of drug trafficking in the region
Manabí province is strategically important for criminal groups. Drug traffickers often use small fishing boats to transport prohibited substances into the open sea. Puerto Lopez has become an arena for bloody clashes due to attempts by various gangs to monopolize control over coastal areas.
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The Ecuadorian authorities, who continue to fight an unprecedented level of violence in the country, have sent additional police units and special forces to the area to identify the victims and search for those who carried out the massacre.