Notorious Ecuadorian Drug Lord "Fito" Extradited to the U.S. After Capture

Sun Oct 19 2025 00:02:04 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as "Fito," faces serious drug and arms trafficking charges in a U.S. federal court following his extradition from Ecuador.

Ecuadorian gang leader Adolfo Macías Villamar, alias "Fito," has been extradited to the U.S. to face charges of drug and arms trafficking. After a year on the run, he was recaptured in June 2023 and is linked to high-profile crimes, including the assassination of a presidential candidate. Fito is the head of Los Choneros gang, notorious for exacerbating Ecuador's crime rates, and is expected to plead not guilty in court.

The powerful Ecuadorean gang leader Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as "Fito," has been extradited to the United States to face serious charges of drug and arms trafficking. His extradition comes after he was recaptured in June 2023, more than a year after he escaped a high-security prison where he was serving a 34-year sentence for multiple crimes. According to his attorney, Macías is scheduled to appear in a federal court in Brooklyn on Monday, where he intends to plead not guilty to the charges brought against him.

Macías is recognized as the leader of the Los Choneros gang, which has established connections with powerful criminal organizations from Mexico and the Balkans. His criminal activities are extensive, including accusations that he orchestrated the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023.

The Los Choneros organization is blamed for the alarming rise in Ecuador's murder rate, transforming the nation from a once peaceful tourist destination to a hotspot of violence. More than 70% of the world's cocaine currently passes through Ecuadorian ports, a fact contributed to its geographical position between the leading cocaine producers, Colombia and Peru.

In June, police apprehended Macías in an underground bunker located beneath a luxurious home in Manta, a coastal city. Following his capture, he was transferred to La Roca, a maximum-security prison. Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa commended the security forces for their efforts and stated that Macías would indeed be extradited to the U.S.

Earlier Sunday, Ecuador's prison authority confirmed that he was officially transferred from the prison to U.S. authorities. Macías’ lawyer, Alexei Schacht, affirmed that they would appear before the federal court in Brooklyn, after which Macías would be assigned to a still-to-be-determined federal prison.

The push for extradition reflects a changing stance in Ecuador, with citizens voting in favor of allowing the extradition of their nationals in a referendum called by President Noboa. The president has been vocal about the need for stronger international cooperation against rising crime, calling for support from U.S., European, and Brazilian military forces in the ongoing "war" against criminal gangs.