Five decapitated heads found displayed on a beach in Puerto López, Ecuador

BBC
BBC
32m ago
Bathers found five decapitated heads displayed on a beach in Puerto López, Ecuador, with a sign threatening those stealing from and extorting local fishermen.
Five decapitated heads found displayed on a beach in Puerto López, Ecuador
A What happened
The heads were found on Sunday on the beachfront in Puerto López, a town affected by gang violence. Locals found a sign next to the body parts threatening those stealing from and extorting fishermen with the same fate. Police identified the remains as five men aged 20 to 34 who had been reported missing days earlier, and their bodies had not been located. Interior ministry figures said 2025 was Ecuador’s most violent year on record, with 9,176 murders.
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Key insights

  • 1

    Pacific coastal areas are heavily affected by drug-smuggling gangs: Ports and towns by the Pacific Ocean are among the worst hit by gangs that smuggle cocaine from Ecuador to the US and Europe.

  • 2

    Gangs use extortion and violence against local communities: Criminal gangs force local businesses to pay “protection money” and attack those who refuse.

  • 3

    Ecuador recorded a homicide high in 2025: Interior ministry figures said 2025 was the most violent year on record in Ecuador, with 9,176 murders.

Takeaways

Police identified the displayed heads as five missing men in Puerto López, where gang violence and extortion have been reported alongside record national homicide levels in 2025.

Topics

World & Politics Security & Defense Law & Public Safety Crime & Justice Public Safety

Read the full article on BBC

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