Page One Daily News
ECUADOR - Ecuador Vulnerable to Organized Crime

* ECUADOR

Ecuador Vulnerable to Organized Crime
The U.S. State Department recognized the Ecuadoran government's efforts against drug-trafficking, but warned that the country remains vulnerable to organized crime

The 2009 U.S. State Department's anti-narcotics report recognized the efforts of the Ecuadoran government to combat the scourge, but warned that the nation continues to be vulnerable to organized crime due to the historic weaknesses of its public institutions and corruption. According to the report, Ecuador is one of the principal countries for the movement of drugs from Colombia and Peru headed for the U.S., as well as a source of raw materials for the production of narcotics. U.S. authorities also highlighted the Ecuadoran government's efforts in the prosecution of financial crimes, noting that the largest money laundering case investigation in the nation's history, culminating in the seizure of $30.4 million, was concluded during Feb. of last year.
Mar-01-2010 07:03pm