The US Treasury Department has banned Chonero and his leader aka Fito

(CNN Spanish) — The United States Treasury Department sanctioned the Choneros criminal gang and its leader, Adolfo Macías, alias “Fito,” for their drug trafficking activities and the violence they generate in Ecuador and across the continent, the organization reported in a statement Wednesday.

The sanctions, issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), include freezing assets linked to Choneros, or Macias, who escaped from prison in Ecuador earlier this year – where he was serving a 34-year sentence – and has since been held by his country’s authorities. is wanted.

With the embargo announced by the Treasury Department, the US government prohibits any US citizen from conducting transactions with entities affiliated with Choneros.

“Today’s action is part of the government’s efforts to combat the global threat posed by illegal drug trafficking in the United States, which causes the deaths of thousands of Americans each year, as well as countless non-fatal overdoses,” the organization said.

The announcement of sanctions against the Choneros and their leader comes after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on January 9 declared a state of internal armed conflict in his country and designated 22 criminal organizations, including the Choneros, as terrorists.