The alleged drug trafficker Marco Ebben, also known as 'The Dutchman' and linked to 'El Mayo' Zambada, was killed on Thursday, February 13, in the municipality of Atizapán, State of Mexico. Ebben was found dead in the parking lot of the Real Antigua subdivision, located in Zona Esmeralda, after being shot by an armed group. His death is suspected to have been an internal settling of accounts, occurring minutes before his detention.
During a raid at two homes in the Rancho San Juan and Las Arboledas neighborhoods, four of his bodyguards were detained, who were presumed to be under his care. Marco Ebben, of Dutch origin, was considered one of the most wanted by Europol due to his ties to 'El Mayo' Zambada. He was accused of being involved in drug trafficking in several European countries and was associated with the dispute over control of the Sinaloa Cartel between Los Chapitos and El Mayo's allies.
According to journalist David Galván, Ebben had faked his death on two previous occasions and in 2020 was convicted in the Netherlands for drug trafficking from Brazil to the Netherlands, but managed to escape, supposedly to the Middle East. Despite being missing for several months, he was seen in 2020 in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and his presence in Mexican territory was reported a few months ago.
After the attack that cost Ebben his life, a fake DEA credential was discovered among his belongings, indicating that he used false identities to evade justice. It is believed that a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel helped hide his identity, fearing that his detention could compromise other fake deaths within the group. So far, no authority has confirmed the identity of the body found in the parking lot.
