José Adolfo Macías Villamar, aka Fito, Ecuador’s most wanted fugitive was forced to climb out of a subterranean hideout

Fito was found hiding in a secret chamber under a trapdoor in luxury house owned by his girlfriend after his three-year-old daughter accidentally gave up his location

Fugitive boss of Los Choneros cartel was flushed out when police brought an excavator to destroy the air conditioned bunker

The ruthless gang leader’s prison break in January 2024 triggered a wave of violence in the country

Prior to his jail break January 2024, Fito was serving a 34-year sentence for organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder 

Fito now faces extradition to the US to face multiple felony charges

American prosecutors charged him in absentia with seven counts of cocaine distribution, conspiracy and firearms-related crimes, including weapons smuggling

President Noboa said he is waiting for the US to make contact with him about Fito’s extradition. **If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison

José Adolfo Macías Villamar, aka Fito, Ecuador’s most notorious fugitive was recaptured [photo], a year after breaking out of prison

Ecuador’s most wanted fugitive, the ruthless gang leader has been recaptured by cops following more than a year on the run.
José Adolfo Macías Villamar, aka Fito is the much feared boss of Ecuador’s largest and oldest criminal gang., Los Choneros.
The cartel boss was found hiding in a secret chamber under a trapdoor in the kitchen of an upmarket house in Montecristi, near his hometown of Manta, in the coastal province of Manabí.
The province is the home base of the feared Los Choneros cartel. The home where was hiding out reportedly, belongs to his jailed girlfriend.
He now faces extradition to the US to face multiple felony charges after his capture at the luxury home of his jailed girlfriend located in the town of Montecristi.
Military and police units swooped in after his three-year-old daughter accidentally gave up his location.

Ruthless gang leader Fito’s prison break in January 2024 triggered a wave of violence in the country. Now now he faces extradition to the US to face multiple felony charges

When he was arrested Ecuador’s most wanted fugitive was found hiding in a secret chamber under a trapdoor in the home.
Ruthless gang leader Fito’s reach in the country’s underworld is such that his prison break from the Guayaquil Regional Prison in January 2024, triggered a wave of violence in the country. Infact he had been moved to maximum-security prison in 2023, three days after the very public assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, a conservative presidential candidate who he’d allegedly threatened.
The announcement Wednesday, confirmed his capture at the luxury home of his jailed girlfriend, facilitated by his own daughter accidentally giving up his location, the segue for cops to swoop in.Before his escape in January 2024, Fito had been held in prison, where he was serving a 34-year sentence for organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder. He had been
José Adolfo Macías Villamar now faces extradition to the US to face multiple felony charges, as he has also been charged in absentia by American prosecutors with seven counts of cocaine distribution, conspiracy and firearms-related crimes, including weapons smuggling.
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His breakout from an Ecuadorian prison resulted in a drastic surge of gang-related violence that lasted several days and left 20 people dead.
The country’s president, Daniel Noboa, declared a 60-day state of emergency in multiple provinces following the violence.
Despite a months-long manhunt, Fito evaded capture until the president revealed on Wednesday that he had finally been apprehended.

Fito was found hiding under a trapdoor at the luxurious home of his girlfriend in the town of Montecristi, near his hometown Manta. Police discovered a trapdoor in the kitchen after an extensive search of the home 

Fito’s arrest which was announced on Wednesday, June 25, came after his own daughter accidentally revealed his location

He was discovered hiding in a kitchen bunker in the Montecristi home. According to local media, officers stormed a luxury home and lifted a trap door to reveal his hiding spot.
Fito then came out of his hiding place when police brought in an excavator to take down the bunker.
A month ago, several members of his family were arrested. Authorities also raided their businesses and confiscated many assets.
The country’s interior minister, John Reimberg, described the move as a “psychological operation”.
Police ramped up their investigation when they noticed a municipal transit official had stopped showing up to work months ago.Trailing him led them to Fito’s inner circle, according to a national police commander.
It was established that the official often went to a plush three story building, the same one Fito was hiding in. The home came equipped with marble floors and walls, a huge swimming pool, a well-equipped gym, and a game room.

The plush three story building where Fito was hiding came equipped with marble floors and walls, a huge swimming pool, a well-equipped gym, and a game room

The sprawling property was well appointed with luxurious amenities, including marble floors and walls 

There were brand new sofas still wrapped in plastic and TVs that were still in their boxes.
Authorities received final confirmation that Fito would be in the house at the time of the raid from his young daughter, according to Víctor Ordóñez, a national police commander. 
Surrounding streets in the neighborhood were blocked off as cops conducted the 10-hour-long operation.

The raid team of police officers cuffed Fito when he came out of his subterranean hiding place after cops brought in an excavator to take down the bunker

Fito was serving a 34-year sentence for organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder before his escape in January 2024

In the detailed sting operation, drones were deployed to gain a better understanding of the compound.
After an extensive search, Fito was discovered hunkered down in an air-conditioned bunker in the kitchen.
Police brought in heavy machinery for excavation, forcing Fito to come out when he realized he could be crushed to death.
Describing the moment, Reimberg said: ‘When this happened, Fito panicked. He opened the hatch where military and police personnel were located and left the hole.’
Within minutes, he was on the ground with guns pointed at his head, as police forced him to repeat his name out loud.

Back in August 2023, Fito the leader of one of Ecuador’s most powerful gangs was moved into a maximum-security prison [photo]. President Guillermo Lasso at the time said the relocation of the Los Choneros leader was meant “for the safety of citizens and detainees”

Inmates hold guards hostage during a rash of prison riots all over Ecuador in January 2024, sparked by the escape of Los Choneros leader Fito

Inmates are seen, [photo], back under control as authorities quelled widespread rioting in prisons in Ecuador following Fito’s prison break. He remained at large until his capture was announced on June 25, over a year later

It’s not the first time Fito had escaped from prison, having staged his first breakout in 2013, only to be back in custody three months later.
Ecuador has seen a huge increase in gang related crimes in recent years and as the leader of the Los Choneros gang, Fito was the author of some of the gang’s most heinous antics.
These includes car bombings, kidnappings, and many brutal murders.  
Fito is also a suspect in the 2023 election season killing of Fernando Villavicencio, a conservative presidential candidate who the jailed gang boss had threatened.

Masked gangsters stormed a TV station during a live broadcast after Fito’s escape in January 2024 

Three days after the very public assassination of the anti-corruption crusader, Fito was moved into a maximum-security prison.
At the time, President Guillermo Lasso said the relocation of the Los Choneros leader was meant “for the safety of citizens and detainees”.
Fito’s jailbreak led to prison riots where four officers were taken hostage. Additionally, masked armed men stormed a television station during a live broadcast.

The gang leader previously escaped from prison in 2013 but was recaptured after three months 

According to US prosecutors, Fito’s gang has close ties with Mexico’s Sinola cartel and the two worked to control drug trafficking routes between South America and the US.
The gang leader was arrested with the then boss Luis Zambrano in 2011. He previously escaped from prison in 2013, only to be recaptured after three months.
A $1million bounty had been posted for information leading to his arrest and this week, US officials congratulated Ecuador for Fito’s capture. President Noboa said he is waiting for the US to make contact with him about Fito’s extradition. **If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison. 

Local legend has it that Fito, who became the leader of the fearsome gang after the killing of the December 2020 murder of Luis Zambrano, the former boss, is seen as a martyr by many in Ecuador’s prison system 

There are murals in many prisons across the country dedicated to The Los Choneros leader 

Fito took control of Los Choneros after the gang’s former boss Jose Luis Zambrano died in December 2020. 
He is seen as a martyr by many in the prison system where murals on many jail walls display his image. 
Fito even behind bars received perks to the point the president criticized the privileges he enjoyed, such as a socket to charge his phone. According to the the president, Fito also had an internet router outside his cell.