More than 250 people were arrested in Ecuador on the first day of a government-imposed overnight curfew as part of a new crackdown on organized crime.
The Interior Ministry announced the arrests, specifying that most of the 253 people arrested are accused of violating curfews or illegal possession of weapons. The measure, in effect for two weeks between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., mainly affects the coastal provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas and El Oro, among the most affected by violence related to drug trafficking, extortion and hitmen.
During the joint police and military operations, a suspected leader of hitmen active in several provinces was arrested.
Authorities also destroyed three weapons depots considered military targets.
The government deployed approximately 75,000 troops to bolster security, with US support in sharing information and combating criminal organizations.
