Ecuadorian authorities captured Wilmer Chavarria, aka “Pipo,” one of the country’s most wanted drug traffickers, in Malaga, Spain, years after he faked his death and relocated there.

Chavarria is believed to lead Los Lobos, a drug trafficking group of around 8,000 members linked to political assassinations and collaborations with Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

He reportedly coordinated drug shipments, ordered killings, and ran extortion schemes in Ecuador while using a false identity from Spain.

Ecuador has faced rising violence in recent years as it has become a key transit point for cocaine from Colombia and Peru, ABC News has reported.

Chavarria’s capture coincides with a national referendum on allowing foreign countries to operate military bases in Ecuador to support anti-drug efforts.