Ecuador’s top drug lord, Wilmer Chavarria, arrested in Spain with Ecuadorian help, marks a major blow to the Los Lobos cartel.

Ecuador’s top drug lord, Wilmer Chavarria, alias "Pipo," leader of the Los Lobos gang, has been arrested in Spain in a joint operation with Ecuadorian authorities. The arrest, hailed by President Daniel Noboa, marks a major blow to one of Ecuador’s most violent and powerful cartels, linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and responsible for hundreds of deaths. Los Lobos, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S., has been involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, and attacks on infrastructure and media. The operation highlights growing international cooperation in combating transnational crime, though rival gangs have intensified violence following the arrest.