MEXICO CITY, Feb 15, (V7N) – Marco Ebben, a Dutch drug trafficker and one of Europe’s most wanted criminals, has been shot dead in Mexico, an official confirmed Friday.

The 32-year-old fugitive was gunned down Thursday in Atizapán de Zaragoza, a municipality near Mexico City. His identity was verified by forensic experts, a state prosecutor’s office official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Ebben was wanted by Europol for drug smuggling from Brazil to the Netherlands. He was sentenced in absentia in 2020 to more than seven years in prison.

Between 2014 and 2015, he and his associates reportedly trafficked 400 kilos of cocaine, concealing the drugs inside pineapple shipments.

In October 2024, Ebben reportedly faked his own death in Culiacán, a Sinaloa Cartel stronghold, to evade capture.

His supposed death was never verified, with only an alleged girlfriend’s testimony supporting the claim. Reports suggested he was linked to a cartel faction, but no conclusive evidence emerged.

His murder comes amid rising cartel violence in Sinaloa, following the July 2024 U.S. arrest of cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. His capture triggered an internal power struggle, leading to renewed conflicts.

Additionally, Mexican authorities announced Friday the arrest of Humberto "El Chato" Rivera, a suspected Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficker wanted by the United States.

END/WD/RH/