Five severed heads found hanging on Ecuador beach amid escalating gang clashes

Five severed quality heads were recovered hanging from ropes connected a formation successful southwestern Ecuador Sunday successful a gruesome show linked to ongoing pack unit sweeping crossed the country, according to reports.

The killings came amid a question of bloody unit tied to cause trafficking and organized crime, which has surged crossed Ecuador successful caller years.

The Associated Press reported that the grim find underscores the tactics utilized by transgression groups competing for power of territory and trafficking routes, particularly on the country’s coastline.

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Drug trafficking gangs permission 5 quality heads connected Ecuador formation with a threatening connection to fishermen, constabulary said, arsenic unit surges on the country's coastal trafficking routes. (Kike Calvo/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Police said the heads were recovered connected a tourer formation successful the tiny sportfishing larboard of Puerto Lopez, successful Manabi province.

The images shared by Ecuadorian media and connected societal media showed the severed heads tied with ropes to woody poles planted successful the sand, with humor disposable astatine the scene.

A woody motion near beside the heads carried a threatening connection aimed astatine alleged extortionists targeting section fishermen.

The connection warned those demanding alleged "vaccine cards" extortion payments commonly extorted by gangs that they had been identified, the study said.

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Members of the Marines detain a fishy during information operations successful confederate Guayaquil, Ecuador connected October 19, 2021. - Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso connected October 19 declared a authorities of exigency successful the state grappling with a surge successful drug-related violence. (AFP via Getty Images)

Authorities said the show was apt the effect of a struggle betwixt transgression groups operating successful the area.

Drug-trafficking networks with links to transnational cartels are progressive on Ecuador’s seashore and person utilized fishermen and their tiny boats to transport illicit shipments, according to section police.

President Daniel Noboa launched an equipped run against gangs and declared states of exigency successful respective provinces, including Manabi, deploying the subject to enactment constabulary operations.

Despite his efforts, unit has continued to escalate with constabulary expanding patrols and surveillance successful Puerto Lopez pursuing caller massacres successful the province, the Associated Press said.

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Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa addresses supporters aft aboriginal returns amusement him successful the pb successful the statesmanlike predetermination runoff astatine his household location successful Olon, Ecuador, Sunday, April 13, 2025.  (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

In 2025, astatine slightest 9 people, including a baby, were killed determination successful an onslaught that authorities blamed connected clashes betwixt section gangs also.

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As antecedently reported by Fox News Digital, successful 2025, infighting betwixt factions of a pack vying for power implicit territory successful Ecuador's largest city, Guayaquil, near astir 2 twelve radical dead.

Ecuador ended the twelvemonth with a grounds homicide complaint of 52 per 100,000 people, according to the Organized Crime Observatory, making it the deadliest twelvemonth connected record.