NEW DELHI: Ecuadorian gangsters abducted and killed five tourists in a case of mistaken identity, believing them to be members of a rival drug gang, according to officials on Saturday.
The incident occurred at a hotel in the town of Ayampe, where approximately 20 attackers forcibly took six adults and a child, shared local police commander Richard Vaca.Following the abduction, the tourists, all Ecuadorians, were interrogated, and later, the bodies of five adults were discovered with gunshot wounds on a nearby road, as reported by an AFP article.
The gangsters “apparently mistook them for adversaries,” said police commander Vaca. President Daniel Noboa confirmed the arrest of one suspect, with ongoing efforts to locate the remaining culprits.
Ecuador, once known for its peace, is now witnessing a surge in violence since January when a state of emergency was declared following the prison escape of a notorious gang leader.
Subsequently, the military has been deployed to maintain order in the wake of numerous gang riots that have claimed hundreds of lives. The homicide rate in Ecuador has alarmingly risen from six per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018 to 46 per 100,000 in 2023.