“The drug trade through Ecuador has historically been controlled by Colombia’s criminal groups who, until recently, essentially held a monopoly over corridors moving through and out of the country. This is gradually changing however, with Mexican transnational criminal groups interested in moving further down the drug chain to cut out Colombian middlemen. As one antinarcotics agent told El Comercio, ‘Colombian cartels no longer have the same power.’”
Source: Mexican cartels move into Ecuador – Colombian trafficking turf – CSMonitor.com