Ecuador extradites notorious drug gang leader to US

Ecuador's highest court gave the green light for extraditing a senior lieutenant of the "Los Choneros" gang to the United States.

Dario Penafiel, referred to as "Topo," was taken into custody in September in the Amazon area of Ecuador, where he was reportedly managing unlawful mineral extractions.

Authorities stated that Topo was connected to a splinter group of Colombia's FARC guerillas and was wanted by a court in New York.

The extradition was sanctioned, according to a release from Ecuador's federal court, to have Penafiel "face trial for significant drug trafficking violations and firearm use."

Previously, Penafiel was incarcerated in Ecuador for charges of kidnapping and conspiracy, but he was released after serving part of his sentence. An accusation against him concerning the killing of a police officer was dropped.

Local media reports that Penafiel encountered one of Ecuador's leading drug bosses, Adolfo Macias, known as "Fito," while imprisoned in Guayaquil, a pivotal drug export location. 

Penafiel became his trusted aide in prison and, upon release, worked for him in extracting illegal gold.

Macias was captured again in June during a large-scale operation initiated after his notorious escape and was sent to the United States during President Daniel Noboa's efforts to combat crime. 

Last year, Macias was charged in New York City with importing extensive quantities of cocaine into the US. He asserted his innocence.

Recently, American soldiers teamed up with Ecuadorian forces in a joint effort to dismantle a purported criminal base run by a suspected narco-terrorist group along Ecuador's coastline.

The operation, dubbed Lanza Marina, targeted a site believed to be a launching pad for high-speed boats connected to Los Choneros, according to two US officials who informed CBS News on the condition of anonymity, as they were not authorised to provide public statements.

The US personnel acted as advisors, supporting and accompanying their Ecuadorian partners as they proceeded with the mission, part of a wider strategy to thwart trafficking networks that utilise swift maritime routes.

In early March, the US and Ecuador initiated combined military endeavors against "designated terrorist entities" within the South American nation.

Los Choneros is one of 20 dangerous gangs labelled as terrorist organisations by Ecuador.