19 September 2023 , 17:54
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This is the bizarre moment an alleged drug cartel lord was prepared for burial alongside his many weapons to "protect himself in the afterlife" after he was shot dead alongside his daughter.
The deceased was identified as Manuel Julian Sevillano Bustamante, aged 39, and believed to be the leader of 'Los Fatales', a criminal gang that operates in the Los Rios region of Ecuador and with links to other drug cartels in the South American country. He was shot dead on the afternoon of September 13 while stopping at a car wash with his 20-year-old daughter and a security guard in the canton of Mocache.
The drug trafficker's daughter was also shot and died later after being taken to a hospital. Bustamante reportedly used to frequent the same car wash, which helped facilitate the planning of the assassin's hit.
An arsenal of weapons are added to the casket of Manuel Julian Sevillano Bustamante at his funeral (CEN)
He was thought to be the leader of the Los Fatales criminal gang (CEN)However, what the alleged drug boss will most likely be remembered for is his funeral. Phone footage captured by an unnamed attendee shows the unusual display of the coffin that was adorned with an array of firearms.
Inside the casket, several men placed pistols, shotguns, rifles and all kinds of other weaponry so that he would be "armed to the teeth in the afterlife and could defend himself". As a finishing touch, somebody then added a hat to the deceased before closing the casket.
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The car wash where Bustamante and his daughter were shot dead (CEN)This unusual farewell sparked a commotion online, with many expressing concern about the possibility of the coffin being looted by those who might want to seize the arsenal. Bustamante was believed to be the leader of a local criminal group linked with homicides.
Authorities suspect that the attack could be the result of clashes between rival gangs in the lucrative world of drug trafficking. No group has claimed responsibility for Bustamante and his daughter's murder.
According to local media, Los Fatales is in a war against the Los Cornejos cartel for control of the drug trade in the provinces of Manabi and Los Rios. Police investigations into the gangs are ongoing.