Dutch Drug Kingpin Marco Ebben Killed in Mexico After Evading Arrest

Marco Ebben, a 32-year-old Dutch drug kingpin, was killed in a gun battle in Mexico. He was linked to significant drug smuggling from Brazil to the Netherlands and had faked his death previously. His activities made him one of Europol’s most wanted fugitives, with a conviction leading to a sentence in absentia.

Marco Ebben, a notorious Dutch drug kingpin and one of Europe’s most wanted criminals, was killed in a gunfight in Atizapan de Zaragoza, Mexico. Authorities confirmed his death occurred 25 km from Mexico City, highlighting his significant involvement in drug trafficking between Brazil and the Netherlands, as stated by officials on Friday.

At 32 years old, Ebben had previously faked his own death to escape law enforcement. He was involved in a shootout in a parking lot where law enforcement experts confirmed his identity, as reported by a source at the state prosecutor’s office, who chose to remain anonymous.

Listed by Europol, the European law enforcement agency, Ebben was sentenced in 2020 to over seven years in prison in absentia for his crimes. Despite this, he managed to evade capture following the issuance of his sentence, maintaining an underground presence linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.

In part of his criminal operations, between 2014 and 2015, he and his accomplices allegedly smuggled 400 kg of cocaine concealed in shipments of pineapples. To further evade the authorities, he had claimed to have faked his death in October of the prior year amidst violent turf wars in the Sinaloa region.

The Sinaloa Cartel, with which Ebben was reportedly associated, has been experiencing increased instability following the recent arrest of co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada in the United States. Concurrently, Mexican authorities announced the arrest of another Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficker known as Humberto Rivera, alias “El Chato.”

In summary, Marco Ebben, a key figure in European drug trafficking, was killed in Mexico after evading capture for years. His criminal activities, particularly involving cocaine smuggling, led to his ranking as one of Europe’s most wanted. His faked death and subsequent violent encounter highlight the chaos within drug trafficking organizations, exacerbated by recent arrests in the Sinaloa Cartel.

Original Source: www.aljazeera.com