European and Ecuadorian authorities have dismantled a major Los Lobos cartel cocaine trafficking network that used commercial maritime logistics and European seaports to move large quantities of narcotics into the continent.
The investigation, coordinated by Europol and supported by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, involved authorities in Ecuador, Belgium and the Netherlands. Over more than a year of joint operations, investigators seized approximately four tonnes of cocaine, arrested 16 suspects, and uncovered a corruption and money-laundering scheme linked to port operations.
The network centered on Ecuador’s powerful Los Lobos criminal organization, widely considered one of the country’s largest drug trafficking groups. The cartel allegedly used export companies as cover to move cocaine shipments concealed within legitimate cargo bound for Europe.
According to Europol, the drugs were primarily hidden inside refrigerated fruit containers, allowing traffickers to exploit regular containerized trade flows between Ecuador and major European ports.
Several significant seizures occurred at Dutch ports during the investigation. In February 2025, authorities intercepted roughly 2.6 tonnes of cocaine at Vlissingen, followed by another 1.1-tonne seizure in Rotterdam in June the same year.
Investigators say the cartel coordinated closely with an Albanian trafficking organization, whose members reportedly traveled to Ecuador to arrange shipments and oversee logistics. Once the cocaine reached Europe, the cargo was rapidly divided and distributed through inland transport networks across multiple countries.
Law enforcement agencies also seized four handguns, two rifles, approximately $810,000 in cash, and several vehicles during raids targeting the group’s financial and logistical infrastructure.
