Leader of Los Choneros Indicted in U.S. Court

A U.S. federal court has indicted Jose Adolfo "Fito" Macias Villamar on international drug and gun charges. The leader of Los Choneros disappeared from an Ecuadorian prison last year. His criminal group is linked to extortion, murder, and drug trafficking, controlling Ecuador's overcrowded prisons.

In a significant development, a U.S. federal court in Brooklyn has indicted Jose Adolfo "Fito" Macias Villamar, the alleged leader of Los Choneros, an infamous Ecuadorian drug trafficking organization, on charges related to international drug and gun conspiracies, as announced by the Department of Justice.

Macias, who vanished in January of the prior year while serving a substantial 34-year sentence in Ecuador, is accused of using his criminal group for extortion, murder, and drug trafficking. The group, Los Choneros, is said to exert control over the country's crime-ridden prison system.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa's administration had earlier announced a $1 million reward for helpful information leading to Macias' arrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)