According to reports from the police, Colin Armstrong, a British entrepreneur and former honorary consul for the UK in Guayaquil, was abducted by masked individuals at his residence in the province of Los Rios in Ecuador.
According to a police report reviewed by the Guardian, Armstrong, who is 78 years old, was abducted on Saturday morning from his residence in Baba town along with his partner Katherine Paola Santos, who is Colombian. The report stated that he was taken away in his personal black BMW, which was later discovered abandoned.
According to a 2022 Gallup poll, the occurrence of kidnappings for ransom has been on the rise in Ecuador. This is due to the increase in violent crime, which is largely linked to drug trafficking gangs. In just five years, Ecuador has gone from being one of the safest countries in Latin America to the most dangerous.
In just a few years, Ecuador has gone from being an island of peace compared to its cocaine-producing neighbours, Colombia and Peru, to a nerve centre for foreign cartels and domestic drug gangs, which control the prisons – often with deadly results – and have branched out into kidnapping and extortion.
The Ecuadorian police announced via Twitter on X that they are currently conducting operations and investigations on the ground in response to a potential criminal incident against a businessman in Los Rios earlier this morning.
In 2016, Armstrong stepped down as honorary consul and handed the position over to his son, Nicolas. Armstrong is the creator and proprietor of Agripac, a prominent agriculture company based in Ecuador. He also possesses the 500 acre (202 hectare) Tupgill Park Estate in North Yorkshire, where he grew up. In 2011, he received an OBE and CMG for his achievements.
A video shared on a social media platform allegedly depicts the residence where Armstrong was abducted, displaying sheets with blood stains and rooms in disarray.
A representative from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated that they are communicating with the Ecuadorian government regarding the disappearance of a British individual and providing assistance to their family.
Daniel Noboa, the current president who assumed office in late November, has vowed to combat drug cartels and organized criminal activity. As the son of a prominent banana tycoon and a Guayaquil local, he has committed to gaining control over the port city, known for exporting cocaine to the United States, Europe, and Asia.
During the election, there was a lot of violence and eight politicians, including presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio who was known for his anti-corruption efforts, were killed.
Source: theguardian.com
