In Ecuador, crime is being driven by the growing use of 3D-printed weapons among gang members, according to a report by the Ecuadorian Observatory of Organized Crime (OECO).
This phenomenon occurs in a context where Colombia, Mexico and Peru are the main sources of illegal weapons that supply criminal gangs in the country.
The OECS identified multiple entry routes for these weapons, including illegal crossings on the borders with Colombia and Peru, transportation through Amazonian rivers, and smuggling in maritime vessels and small planes associated with drug trafficking, reported the Efe agency.
This situation has led to the border with Peru generating growing concern, with alarming data such as the significant seizure of ammunition in the Tumbes region by the Peruvian National Police.
The OECS report also highlights recent incidents, such as the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023, perpetrated with weapons imported from Peru by Colombian hitmen.
US weapons pass through Mexico and arrive in Ecuador
It also reveals that a considerable part of the US weapons that arrive in Mexico end up in Ecuador, transported by planes linked to cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación.
The use of 3D-printed weapons among Ecuadorian gang members has been a worrying aspect because it facilitates an underground market where these weapons offer significant advantages: they are difficult to trace due to the lack of numbering and allow users to remain anonymous.
According to the report, these weapons are valued for their efficiency and ability to evade identification, which has contributed to an increase in their demand in the organized crime market.
A gang member was quoted in the document: “It is more difficult to find the owner, because these weapons do not have numbers or anything, they are used because the shooter cannot be found. That is why today there are hitmen who still do not know who it was. “They are efficient weapons, just as automatic as any other imported one,” the document cited.
How much do 3D printed guns cost?
Furthermore, the report highlights that, although conventional rifles can reach high prices of between $8,000 and $15,000 dollars, 3D printed weapons have a more affordable cost of approximately $3,500 to $4,000 dollars in the local market, notes Efe.
This cost disparity makes 3D printed weapons an attractive option for gang members and criminals looking to arm themselves at lower prices and without leaving a trace.
In response to this situation, the OECS urges Ecuador to strengthen international cooperation with Colombia and Peru, and considers the support of the Organization of American States to be crucial to combat illicit firearms trafficking.
President Daniel Noboa has also elevated the fight against organized crime to the level of “internal armed conflict,” classifying criminal gangs as terrorists and highlighting the need for urgent measures to confront this challenge.
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