Ecuador’s Criminal Justice System

Since we all major in Criminology and Criminal Justice, our research is based upon

Ecuador's criminal justice system. In light of recent years, Ecuador has been a major focus of

attention in recent years due to concerns about the country's high crime rates. The inefficiency

and corruption within the police force and judiciary have been significant challenges for the

country. Efforts to reform the criminal justice system have been ongoing, with an emphasis on

modernizing infrastructure, improving training, and addressing issues of transparency and

accountability within law enforcement and judicial institutions. (Dr. Freeman, 2023)

Supporting Article

1. 2.
 3. 4.

Link for the article:

A shipment of marijuana was seized by police in San Mateo - EsmeraldasNews®

Summary of the Article

The article sourced in relation to criminology is specific to the narcotic crime rate in

Ecuador. It highlights a drug bust in the capital, Esmeraldas in the San Mateo area by the

National Police Anti Narcotics Unit. On 9th December, 2023, an abandoned single-cab truck that

was reported for theft was searched- in which brown taped bags of greenish liquid that were

observed to be of vegetable origin were discovered. Upon carrying out chemical tests on this

substance, it was found to be 624 packages of liquefied marijuana weighing 760 kilos. This was

estimated to be 1.2 million doses. The Anti Narcotics Unit delivered this message in the form of
a speech on 10th December, 2023. From the inception of the new regime that targets the removal

of narcotics intended to be marketed to civilians for recreational use, 9 tons 850 kilos of different

narcotics have been seized.

Country Comparison

Similarly, Guyana has a branch of the police force known as the Guyana’s Customs Anti

Narcotics Unit (CANU). According to an article published by Loop Caribbean News, in January

2023 a similar drug bust occurred in Guyana 123.85 kilos worth of marijuana.The two countries

are showing more common ground, as a minor drug bust took place just the night prior in

Guyana on November 9, 2023. In which 44.5 kilos of marijuana was confiscated. (De Shong,

2023)Many drug busts occur in the capital city of Guyana as well; Georgetown. The bust

referenced at question (a) in January is a prime example. It occurred on Mandela Avenue, a street

in Georgetown. (De Shong, 2023)

Though the article published by Loop News Caribbean and written by De Shong (2023)

had no praise to give to Guyana’s Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU), this branch of police

just like Ecuador’s National Police Anti Narcotics Unit, was the ‘who’ that the article focused on

rather than the criminals. In both instances, the narcotics were found in vehicles, in Ecuador’s

case it was an abandoned truck due to a theft report, but in Guyana’s case, CANU had

intercepted the traffic for routine search. Both busts were done due to the transportation of the

narcotics failing to be successful. (De Shong, 2023)

Due to all three of the articles (Guyanese and Ecuadorian) mentioned being focused on

the designated police unit for narcotics, there was no motive behind these drug trafficking sagas.
This can also be attributed to the fact that all of the cases are young and have not been presented

to the court where the testimonies of the felons would be heard if caught.

Correspondingly, the narcotics discovered by the police in Guyana were also seized.

However, since there were suspects present in the vehicles of both discoveries made in Guyana,

hence these suspects were also taken by the authorities.

References:
De Shong, D. (2023, January 13). Guyana: Two held in multi-million dollar drug bust.

Loop News. https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/guyana-two-held-multi-million-

dollar-drug-bust

De Shong, D. (2023, November 9). Minor arrested in Guyanese drug bust. Loop News.

https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/minor-arrested-guyanese-drug-bust

Redacción y Redacción. (2023, December 10). Un cargamento de marihuana fue

incautado por la Policía en San Mateo. Esmeraldas News.

https://esmeraldasnews.com/actualidad/un-cargamento-de-marihuana-fue-incautado-por-

la-policia-en-san-mateo/

Dr. Freeman, (2023, August 16).Ecuador’s Crime Surge is Devastating, but There is a

way Forward. The New York Times.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/16/opinion/ecuador-fernando-villavicencio-

elections.html