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Colombian authorities have arrested the wife and daughter of Adolfo Macias, alias “Fito,” the imprisoned leader of Ecuador’s notorious Los Choneros gang.
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Inda Mariela Penarrieta Tuarez and Michelle Jamileth Macias Penarrieta were arrested in northeastern Colombia over allegations that they used shell companies to launder money allegedly linked to Los Choneros.
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Fito was extradited to the United States last year after escaping from a prison in Ecuador’s port city of Guayaquil in 2024, where he was serving a 34-year sentence for organised crime, drug trafficking and murder.
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The arrests come amid Ecuador’s intensified campaign against powerful drug gangs, with Los Choneros accused of helping drive the country’s transformation into a major cocaine transit hub.
September 28, (THEWILL) – The wife and daughter of Ecuadorian drug lord Adolfo Macias, popularly known as “Fito,” have been arrested in Colombia over alleged money laundering linked to his notorious Los Choneros criminal organisation.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced the arrests on Sunday, saying Inda Mariela Penarrieta Tuarez and her daughter, Michelle Jamileth Macias Penarrieta, were apprehended in northeastern Colombia during an operation involving Colombian authorities, the FBI and Ecuadorian security agencies.
The two women are wanted in Ecuador in connection with an investigation into alleged money laundering, with authorities accusing them of using shell companies to conceal and move funds allegedly belonging to Los Choneros.
“I will gladly send them to my good friend, President Daniel Noboa, so they can answer to Ecuadorian justice,” de la Espriella said in a post on X.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa responded to the Colombian leader, saying: “That’s how we work, Abelardo: together and with results.”
The arrests mark another law-enforcement action targeting the wider network surrounding Fito, one of Ecuador’s most notorious organised crime figures.
Fito’s Escape, Capture
Fito is the leader of Los Choneros, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal gangs, which has been linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and accused of involvement in drug trafficking and other organised criminal activities.
He was serving a 34-year prison sentence for organised crime, drug trafficking and murder when he escaped from a prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil in 2024.
His escape triggered a major security crisis in Ecuador, with authorities confronting a wave of violence attributed to rival criminal groups battling for control of drug routes, prisons and other illicit activities.
Fito was eventually captured and extradited to the United States last year.
He is now facing seven charges in a New York court, including drug trafficking and arms trafficking. The charges carry potential prison sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment.
The United States designated Los Choneros as a terrorist organisation last year, further intensifying international pressure on the gang and its leadership.
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Background
Ecuador was once regarded as one of Latin America’s safer countries, but it has experienced a dramatic rise in organised crime and drug-related violence in recent years.
The country has become an important transit point for cocaine produced in neighbouring Colombia and Peru and shipped to consumer markets around the world.
The expansion of criminal groups, prison violence and battles over control of trafficking routes have transformed Ecuador’s security landscape, prompting successive governments to intensify operations against organised crime.
Los Choneros has emerged as one of the central players in that criminal environment, with authorities linking the group to drug trafficking and other illicit activities.
The latest arrests in Colombia demonstrate the cross-border nature of the investigation, as Ecuadorian authorities pursue not only suspected members of criminal organisations but also alleged financial structures used to move and conceal proceeds.
The Colombian operation, involving the FBI and Ecuadorian authorities, also underscores the growing regional and international cooperation aimed at disrupting the financial networks supporting major drug-trafficking organisations.
Details of the specific companies allegedly used by Fito’s wife and daughter to launder money were not immediately disclosed by the authorities, while further legal proceedings are expected to determine their possible transfer to Ecuador to face the allegations against them.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
