‘Most wanted’ gang leader arrested in Panama as noose tightens on another fugitive

Ecuadorian police said yesterday that the leader of a major gang from the South American country, who is implicated in the January murder of a prosecutor, among other crimes, has been arrested in Panama. In addition, the arrest of another of the country’s top five most wanted could be imminent.

Gang leader and accused murderer Julio Alberto Martinez was arrested Friday in Panama. Plans are underway for his extradition to Ecuador, where he was listed among the country’s “most wanted” fugitives.

Ecuadorian authorities have been fighting spiking violence they blame on drug trafficking gangs, with President Daniel Noboa employing state of emergency declarations to send the military into the streets.

Julio Alberto Martinez, who goes by the alias “Negro Tulio” and is the alleged leader of the Chone Killers gang, was arrested in Panama with his wife thanks to bilateral cooperation, the police said in a statement.

Ecuadorian authorities do not typically released the full names of people under arrest, but the police said the man, who will be extradited from Panama to face terrorism and other charges, is implicated in the killings of two prosecutors, one in June 2023 and another in January 2024, as well as “various terrorist attacks” in November 2022.

Prosecutor Cesar Suarez, who focused on pursuing organized trans-national crime in Guayas province, was attacked and killed as he drove in northern Guayaquil by gunmen in two cars in January.

In a separate statement, the police said they had arrested a woman they say is the partner of escaped Los Choneros gang leader Jose Adolfo Macias (alias Fito), alleging she handled financial transactions for the group. Police say the partner and other sources have provided valuable information about Macias’ possible whereabouts and he could be arrested in the coming weeks.
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Credit: Reuters