- UK Latin America Minister visits Ecuador to deepen security ties and work to disrupt cocaine trade at source
- Joint action aims to protect communities in both countries
- Minister also to spotlight UK innovation and investment with Welsh-owned Hydro Industries and climate leadership in the Galapagos
The UK and Ecuador are working side by side to stop cocaine flooding the streets of Europe, Minister for Latin America Chris Elmore confirmed today as he begins his first visit to the country.
The majority of the UK’s cocaine transits through ports in Ecuador, and Minister Elmore is in the country to see first-hand the joint work to stop the illegal trade at source – meeting frontline police officers, who have received training and equipment from the UK; and observing canine training for drug interception.
Ecuador saw its deadliest year on record in 2025 due to organised crime, and the UK and Ecuador’s joint work aims to tackle the damaging drug trade to help keep both countries’ streets safe.
As a “platform country” for cocaine produced elsewhere in Latin America, up to 80% of the drugs arriving in Europe come via Ecuador. This threatens both countries’ security, with Ecuadorian communities affected by associated gang violence.
Ecuador is one of the UK’s closest partners in Latin America, and the visit underscores the shared commitment of both nations to protect communities by stopping drugs at source.
Joint action is essential to dismantle criminal networks and prevent illicit flows, and drugs seizures are already increasing thanks in part to the joint work the UK and Ecuador are undertaking.
Latin America Minister Chris Elmore said
Every year, hundreds of thousands of kilos of cocaine are smuggled from South America into Europe. In the UK alone, more than 28 tonnes of cocaine were seized by the police and Border Force in 2023/24.
It’s a vast criminal industry, but amazingly, the majority of cocaine that ends up on the streets of Europe comes through Ecuadorean ports.
That criminal industry does huge damage to communities in the UK, but it’s also causing devastation here in Ecuador, with 10,000 gang-related deaths recorded last year. That’s why it’s in the interests of both the UK and Ecuador to tackle this trade together, and put the criminal gangs behind it out of business.
There is huge potential in our relationship with Ecuador – it’s a vital partner for Britain on security and climate change, and the trade and investment opportunities here for British businesses are rising fast – but for Ecuador to succeed, we need the drug gangs to fail, and that’s why our cooperation on organised crime is so important.
During the visit, Minister Elmore will meet with senior Ecuadorean leaders, including Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and other authorities to deepen cooperation on security and crime prevention, as well as visiting the specialist Police Canine Unit in Quito, where UK support is helping Ecuador intercept narcotics and disrupt trafficking networks.
Beyond security, the visit will also celebrate UK–Ecuador collaboration across sustainable growth and climate resilience. Minister Elmore will visit Welsh company Hydro Industries’ new water treatment plant in Quito – whose business is expected to reach £100m in the next few years– an example of UK innovation and investment in Ecuador’s future.
The Minister will also engage with environmental initiatives in the Galapagos Islands, including the Global Plastics Action Partnership (GPAP).
The visit comes amidst US action in nearby Venezuela, where the UK supports a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government. Ecuador is one of the UK’s closest partners in Latin America, and this visit underscores its ongoing commitment to our allies, and to peace and democracy in the region.