Adolfo Macias Villamar, known by the nickname “Fito,” has been extradited from Ecuador to the United States to face charges related to international drug and arms trafficking.
Macias, the leader of the violent Ecuadorian gang Los Choneros, arrived in New York on Sunday night and is expected to appear in a federal court in Brooklyn.
He will face charges including cocaine distribution, conspiracy, and firearms violations.
His lawyer has stated that he intends to plead not guilty.
Before his extradition, Macias was serving a 34-year sentence in Guayaquil, Ecuador, for crimes such as drug trafficking, murder, and participation in organized crime.
He gained national and regional attention earlier in 2024 when he escaped from a maximum-security prison.
The escape triggered a major security operation and led to a state of emergency in Ecuador.
The military was deployed across the country in response to increased gang violence.
Authorities recaptured Macias on June 25 in the coastal city of Manta, where he was found hiding in a hidden bunker beneath floor tiles in a luxury home.
The port city is considered a key base for Los Choneros’ operations.
His extradition to the U.S. marks a first under a new Ecuadorian law passed following a national referendum in 2024.
The measure gives Ecuador the ability to extradite citizens accused of serious crimes, especially those linked to international drug trafficking.
Macias rose to power from humble beginnings as a taxi driver and became a feared figure in Ecuador’s criminal world.
While imprisoned, he maintained influence by issuing public messages and reportedly living in relative comfort behind bars.
Los Choneros have been connected to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, Colombia’s Gulf Clan, and organized crime groups in the Balkans.
Ecuador, positioned between Colombia and Peru—two of the world’s top cocaine producers—has become a major route for drug shipments.
In 2024, Ecuadorian authorities seized nearly 300 tonnes of drugs, mostly cocaine, from its ports.
Macias’s extradition is viewed as a major move in Ecuador’s ongoing fight against transnational crime networks.