The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has announced a reward offer of up to $5 million for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of Francisco Manuel Bermúdez Cagua, also known as “Churrón.” Bermúdez Cagua is identified as a leader within Los Choneros, an Ecuadorian criminal organization.
Bermúdez Cagua is reportedly responsible for decisions regarding drug and weapons trafficking within Los Choneros. On June 27, 2025, he was charged in the Eastern District of New York with conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Two other leaders from the group, Darío Javier Peñafiel Nieto (“Topo”) and José Adolfo Macías Villamar (“Fito”), were also charged at that time and are currently in custody. Bermúdez Cagua remains at large.
Los Choneros has been described as one of Ecuador’s most violent criminal groups. The organization is linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and controls significant cocaine trafficking routes through Ecuador. On September 5, 2025, Secretary of State Rubio designated Los Choneros as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT). Earlier, in January 2024, Ecuador's government had already labeled Los Choneros a terrorist organization.
This latest reward offer follows sanctions imposed on February 7, 2024 by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which targeted Los Choneros’ financial operations. The current action is issued jointly with the government of Ecuador.
The reward program aims to support global law enforcement efforts against international drug trafficking organizations and help bring fugitives like Bermúdez Cagua to justice. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact authorities via DEA phone numbers or email addresses provided in the announcement.
"ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards."