In one of the largest asset seizures in Ecuador’s history, authorities have confiscated more than US$300M worth of properties, businesses, and farmland allegedly tied to dissident groups of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Officials say the operation strikes directly at the financial lifeline of a network accused of drug trafficking, money laundering, and violent attacks against security forces and civilians.
Ecuador seizes FARC guerrilla assets
Ecuador’s Ministry of the Interior revealed that the group at the center of the investigation had allegedly funneled more than US$300 million through drug trafficking and related criminal activities. To disguise the money, they used shell companies registered under the names of relatives of the group’s suspected leader, including his wife and children.
Authorities say this network allowed illicit cash to flow into the national financial system, blending dirty money with legitimate business activity. The list of seized assets shows the vast scale of the operation.
Investigators confiscated two sprawling farms totaling 620 hectares in Santo Domingo and another 470-hectare property in Esmeraldas — making them some of the largest estates involved in the case. Alongside these, police shut down front businesses such as gas stations, repair shops, hardware stores, warehouses, and parking lots. Urban residences and farmland dedicated to African palm cultivation were also placed under state control.
“This is not only about seizing wealth, it is about recovering security and dismantling the laundering networks that fuel violence in our country.” We will track down and capture those who continue to operate in crime,” said Interior Minister Reimberg during the announcement.
Targeting the “Comandos de la Frontera”
The confiscated assets are believed to belong to the so-called Comandos de la Frontera, an armed group operating along Ecuador’s northeast border with Colombia. Officials describe the group as one of the most dangerous splinter factions of the former FARC guerrilla movement, with ties to international drug routes.
Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office noted that the raids were part of Operation Frontera Norte 2, one of the most extensive joint actions between police and prosecutors in recent memory. The focus was to cut off the “economic arteries” that sustain the Comandos de la Frontera, including productive palm plantations and logistical businesses used to move goods and cash.
According to prosecutors, the group is under investigation not only for drug trafficking and money laundering but also for its alleged role in the deaths of Ecuadorian police officers, soldiers, and civilians in recent years. By stripping away its financial base, authorities hope to weaken its ability to maintain influence in border regions and disrupt its ability to recruit new members.
President Daniel Noboa praised the operation, calling it a historic strike against organized crime. On his account on X, Noboa wrote: “Yes, this is why we wake up every day. Today we dealt the biggest blow to criminal economies in Ecuador’s history: over US$300 million in assets seized from the ‘Comandos de la Frontera,’ FARC dissidents. Others wake up to interview Maduro. Congratulations to our National Police for this historic operation.” His comment underscored both the magnitude of the crackdown and his administration’s determination to show results in the fight against drug-related violence.
Ecuador’s fight against organized crime
For Ecuador, the seizures are part of a broader strategy to confront escalating violence fueled by cartels and armed groups. Once considered a relatively safe country in the region, Ecuador has seen murder rates rise sharply, with cities such as Guayaquil turning into hotspots for drug shipments headed to North America and Europe.
President Noboa’s government has already declared a state of emergency in response to prison riots and gang violence. Now, by striking at the economic structures of groups such as the Comandos de la Frontera, Ecuador is signaling that it aims to weaken the financial foundations that allow these organizations to thrive. “The operation shows that Ecuador is not willing to be a safe haven for dirty money,” said security analyst Jorge Restrepo. “By dismantling their financial networks, the government is hitting them where it hurts most — their ability to launder profits and reinvest in criminal enterprises.”
International cooperation has been crucial in making these actions possible. U.S. and European agencies have worked with Ecuador to strengthen anti-money laundering systems and provide intelligence on cross-border criminal flows. Colombian authorities have also welcomed the seizures, calling them a critical step in a shared effort to dismantle armed dissident groups that continue to profit from drug trafficking years after the 2016 peace accord.
While the seizure of US$300M in assets represents a remarkable victory for law enforcement, experts caution that criminal organizations are highly adaptable. They often rebuild networks through new front companies, corrupt officials, or shifting their operations across borders. For this reason, analysts stress that Ecuador must maintain financial investigations and ensure that confiscated properties are not reabsorbed into illegal economies.
Despite these challenges, the success of Operation Frontera Norte 2 has given Ecuador a much-needed show of strength in its fight against organized crime. For many citizens weary of daily violence, the image of the state seizing luxurious estates, vast farmland, and urban businesses linked to armed groups offers a sense of justice and hope.
“This was a major strike against those who have brought violence to our communities. People feel safer when they see that the government is finally taking back control,” said Guayaquil resident Ana Rodriguez.
Whether Ecuador can sustain this momentum will depend on its ability to follow through, by prosecuting those responsible, repurposing seized assets for public good, and working closely with neighbors such as Colombia. But for now, the message is clear: the financial empire of the Comandos de la Frontera has taken a historic hit, and Ecuador is showing it will not stand idly by as criminal fortunes grow on its soil.