Armed Forces Have Now Inspected 663 of Ecuador's 1,130 Private Security Companies

The Scale

Ecuador's Armed Forces, working through the Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas (COMACO), have now inspected 663 of the country's 1,130 licensed private security companies, per Primicias (source).

Those companies collectively employ more than 90,000 private security guards. Between 2023 and January 2026, the country imported USD 10.6 million in pistols and revolvers for the private security market.

Why the Crackdown

The inspection campaign intensified after March 15, 2026, when the government put new emergency measures in place. Since that date, Armed Forces operations have seized 673 weapons from irregular or non-compliant security firms.

The trigger point was a January 2026 raid on a private security company linked to Stalin Olivero Vargas, alias "Marino" — identified as the leader of the Los Lagartos criminal organization. That single raid recovered more than 200 weapons, many with altered serial numbers or missing permits.

On the Record

Coronel Miguel Ángel Ochoa, Director Nacional de Control de Armas at COMACO, framed the goal directly: "El objetivo principal es el control riguroso de armas y municiones. Cada arma controlada evita riesgo potencial para la seguridad del Estado."

A military commander at the Centro de Control de Armas in Guayas added: "Nos permite verificar en tiempo real si cada arma cumple con los requisitos legales."

How Violations Are Classified

The military has established three categories of findings:

1. Minor infractions — paperwork and registration errors
2. Serious non-compliance — missing permits, expired licenses, unauthorized modifications
3. Criminal indicators — evidence of weapons diversion, links to organized crime

What This Means for Expats

• Private security in Ecuador is not a monolith. Many expat residences, condo developments, and gated communities are protected by private guards. The inspection wave makes it worth asking your building management or HOA which firm provides your security and whether they've been inspected.
• Expect a cleaner market over time. The goal of the campaign is to push non-compliant firms out. That's good for legitimate operators but may create temporary gaps or service changes.
• Organized crime's armament pipeline is a real risk. The Los Lagartos raid is a concrete case of a security firm feeding a criminal group. That's why the government treats this as a national security issue, not an administrative one.
• If you're a firearms owner (legal), stay fully current. Weapons-control audits don't stop at firms — individual compliance matters too.

Source: Primicias