Thousands of encrypted messages have revealed the day-to-day operations of a major drug trafficking network, showing how an alleged kingpin ran a cross-border cocaine empire with corporate-like efficiency.
The communications, obtained from the SkyECC platform, detail the business dealings of Dritan Gjika, an Albanian national now wanted in Ecuador on organized crime and money laundering charges. The chats, spanning May 2020 to March 2021, offer a rare glimpse into the network’s logistics, from negotiating monthly contracts for multiple tonnes of cocaine to managing shipping schedules and payments.
Gjika, known as “Tony,” is accused of leading a syndicate that smuggled drugs from Ecuador to Europe, often using banana exports as cover. The messages show him directly involved in hiring drivers, coordinating port access, and resolving disputes over debts. He frequently used coded language, referring to shipping containers as “boxes” and police as “the uglies.”
The network allegedly relied on corrupt officials inside Ecuador’s ports and police force. One retired officer convicted in the case was found to have provided insider information about anti-narcotics operations, allowing the group to adjust its schedules accordingly.
The revelations come amid a surge of violence in Ecuador, as local gangs battle for control of the lucrative cocaine trade. The country has become a key transit hub for the drug, with groups like Gjika’s leveraging its busy ports to ship cocaine overseas.
Gjika was arrested in Abu Dhabi in May 2025 and is awaiting extradition to Ecuador, but his case highlights the challenges of prosecuting international trafficking networks. The encrypted platforms that once shielded their operations are now proving to be their undoing.