According to the police investigation, criminal gangs are using an explosive called emulnor, which is generally used in mining.
Procedure of the GIR Anti-explosives Team, on April 16, 2023, in the El Condado sector, in Quito.
In five years, terrorism increased and evolved in Ecuador. On January 27, 2018, a car bomb exploded in the vicinity of the San Lorenzo Police Headquarters, in Esmeraldas.
That was the first terrorist attack in Ecuador. The attack was attributed to the Oliver Sinisterra Front (FOS) , a dissident of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FOS). Since then, incidents with explosives in Ecuador have increased.
This is reflected in the figures of the National Police. In 2022, there were 419 incidents, of which 60 were actual threats. While, in the first three months of 2023, there have already been 46 incidents with explosive devices.
From amatol to emulnor
When the attacks with explosives began in Ecuador, in 2018, the experts determined that the attacks, like the one in San Lorenzo, were made with an explosive called amatol.
This explosive was homemade and its components easily accessible and low cost.
However, now this type of crime has evolved, and in the last attacks committed in 2023, the Police found a similar characteristic. The gangs use emulnor as a secondary explosive.
This is a gelatinous, malleable explosive that is generally used in mining. In quarries it is used to break rocks. In addition, it supports humidity, which facilitates its transportation and storage.
According to the trace followed by the National Police, this explosive is of Peruvian manufacture. That is, it is entering Ecuador through the southern border.
Within the criminal gangs there are members who are dedicated to the manufacture and assembly of explosives. These people are known as ‘ artificiers ‘. In some cases, gangs have been known to send them to other countries to learn about this activity.
In places where the attacks began many years ago, such as Colombia and Mexico, the Ecuadorian ‘ artificiers ‘ learn about explosives. However, his knowledge remains empirical and traditional. Every time they assemble a bomb, the bombardier has a high percentage chance of dying trying.
Beware of suspicious packages
Gabriel Bautista, head of the Anti-explosive Area of the Intervention and Rescue Group (GIR) of the National Police, explains that explosives are -generally- camouflaged by criminal organizations in suspicious packages.
These packages, says the official, can be anywhere, especially in workspaces. Therefore, it is essential that people have full control of their space and know all the implements around them.
So, if they see something out of the ordinary, they can immediately identify it and treat it as a suspicious package.
For example, on Monday, March 20, 2023, five journalists from different media outlets received envelopes. Inside those envelopes were USB devices with explosive charges. Only one detonated, in Ecuavisa.
To identify if it is a package that could contain explosives, the first thing to do is read who the sender is. And, preferably, call the person to confirm the shipment. Other warning signs are cables or strings dangling from the package, oil stains, or the smell of fuel.
In these cases, when finding an explosive package, the Police recommend handling it as little as possible, trying to isolate it and immediately calling ECU-911 to coordinate the assistance of the GIR Anti-explosives Team.
