Europe’s Most Wanted Criminal Marco Abban Killed in Mexico – Who Was He?

Mexico (The Uttam Hindu): A notorious drug trafficker, considered one of Europe’s most dangerous criminals has been killed in Mexico. Authorities revealed on Friday that Marco Abban, who had previously faked his own death to evade capture was shot dead on Thursday in Atizapán de Zaragoza about 25 kilometers from Mexico City. Law enforcement officials confirmed his identity.

Abban had been listed among Europe’s "most wanted fugitives" by Europol. He was known for smuggling large quantities of drugs from Brazil to the Netherlands and had been sentenced to over seven years in prison in October 2020. Between 2014 and 2015, he and his accomplices were accused of trafficking 400 kilograms of cocaine concealed in pineapple containers.

To avoid arrest, he staged his death in October last year in Culiacán, a stronghold of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, where conflicts between rival factions are common. Local reports indicate that although he was linked to a criminal gang, no solid evidence of his death was found at the time—only a statement from an alleged girlfriend who had identified his supposed body.

In a separate development, Mexican authorities announced on Friday the arrest of a suspected Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficker in Chihuahua. He was wanted by the United States and has been identified by local media as Humberto Rivera.