Was One of Europe's Most Wanted Drug Traffickers, Marco Ebben, Killed in a Culiacan Shootout?

Who is Marco Ebben?

Marco Ebben was sentenced to a 7 year prison term in 2020 for his involvement in large-scale cocaine trafficking. He has been, and is still on Europol’s Most Wanted Fugitive list for the past year.

He is the son of notorious Dutch criminal trafficker Henk Ebben. Marco still had to finish serving that sentence in the Netherlands that involved corrupt Customs Officer Gerrit G., in which his father was also involved in.

Marco Ebben was born in 1992 and by that time, his father Henk was part of a large drug gang calling themselves ‘Rainforest.’ The drugs gang was said to be involved in the smuggling of hash, ecstasy and speed to England. They were transported in trucks hidden in fake Ralph Lauren t-shirts and Russian detergent. Henk was also suspected in ordering the deaths of several people.

Henk has been linked to five murders and was sentenced to life imprisonment, but on appeal the sentence was reduced to 18-years. He spent only five years in a high-security prison.

In his interview with Dutch media outlet Rijnmond earlier this year, Marco Ebben claims to be able to live his lavish lifestyle, and travel around the world thanks to his in-laws. “I have a very rich in-law family, both in Russia and in Italy. They are part of the government and I do my bit within those families. Let’s leave it at that. I won’t say more…”

Cocaine Trafficking

Marco Ebben and others were convicted of smuggling over 400 kilograms of cocaine into the Netherlands between 2014-2015, according to Europol. The seized drug shipment entered the Netherlands hidden in containers of pineapples from Brazil at the port of Rotterdam.

His father Henk was sentenced to 11 years in prison in the same case involving notoriously corrupt customs officer Gerrit G. The customs agent began talking about his collaboration with Henk and other drug traffickers, PGP messages were shown between Gerrit G and Henk Ebben.

Prior to the 400 kilo shipment, discovered by sniffer dogs after being unloaded, authorities had attempted to intercept a 220 kilo shipment connected to Henk that was hidden in a container of bananas. Gerrit G. was also involved in multiple other seized shipments of cocaine including a large 3 metric ton shipment hidden in cassava melons from Costa Rica in November 2014.

Around 2017, after being charged with the large cocaine trafficking conspiracy, Marco was said to have been in hiding in the penthouse of a former Feyenoord footballer. He had already escaped an attempt on his life and was said to be working with the notorious cocaine dealer Isaac ‘Bom’ B. In May 2020, while driving from Amsterdam to the Hague, he was shot at by a man in a BMW. Police arrived after the BMW had taken off and escorted Marco, and his Range Rover home, not knowing he was involved in trafficking and had been charged in the recent case.

Weeks later, his house was raided but nothing was found. It is believed that at this time he began his life on the run.

In October 2020, the court sentenced him to 7 years and 4 months in prison for drug trafficking from Brazil to the Netherlands. He has not yet fully served his sentence, which is why he has been on the Europol list of Europe’s most wanted criminals for over a year.

In the last four years, he lived in Spain, Dubai, Italy (where his wife and daughter live), Turkey and lastly Russia before heading to Mexico. Last year, he claimed he snuck back into the Netherlands, wearing a wig to supposedly see his father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.

“There are only thirteen months left in prison. That is not the reason why I stayed away. I lived in Dubai at the time and asked for a year’s deferment to arrange some private things. I did not get that and then I thought: I’m staying here and I didn’t report myself,” Marco said earlier this year in an interview with news outlet Rijnmond.

He was also linked to the notorious attacks on Vlaardingen plumber Ron van Uffelen, who himself died earlier this year. Ebben denied this in his interview earlier this year.

Shootout in Culiacan

Last month, he was believed to have been shot while riding in or driving an armored BMW in Culiacán, Sinaloa. His family and others alleged they had lost contact with him for weeks, fueling rumors of his death or possible disappearance.

However, this is incorrect as the crime scene shown occurred in the Montebello area of Culiacan at least two days prior to the alleged date of his shootout. This incident left one woman dead with no other reports of casualties.

“A crime journalist, if all goes well, does not only have sources of information in the police, justice and lawyers, but also in the underworld. Informants from the criminal environment are scrutinized more closely because their information often cannot be verified with official bodies.” wrote John Van Den Heuvel at the beginning of his column reporting on Marco’s possible death. Van Den Heuvel is a former police officer turned crime reporter.

It was reported that Marco was part of, or leading a group of gunmen that drove into an ambush involving Los Chapitos gunmen. Dutch news reports stated this shooting killed his driver, and that Marco hadn’t been heard from since.

Last month, around the same time of the supposed shooting, images began to circulate on social media platforms featuring Sinaloa Cartel gunmen sporting fresh gear with Dutch flags. Supposedly the men are part of an armed group under the Mayo Faction as seen by the Zambada avatar character in the images. This group is said to be under the larger faction commanded by “Comanche.”

A video posted on September 22 shows a tactical vest with Mayo and Dutch insignia on the ground in front of a black car full of dozens of bullet holes. The black car appears to be a BMW, matching reports of claiming he was riding in an armored BMW when the shootout took place. According to @compachips on TikTok, the shooting occurred in San Jose del Llano, in Badiraguato, Sinaloa. This area had seen several shootouts and military operations in weeks prior.

Users on Reddit are claiming that the group sporting the Dutch flag was actually created by Marco Ebben, who goes by the alias “El Fantasma,” and was essentially a hired mercenary in Mexico fighting for Mayito Flaco’s faction in their war against the sons of El Chapo.

Is He Faking His Own Death?

Additional photos posted by @Adanmarlox alleging to be Marco, injured and being tended to by medics have surfaced. However, it is noted that the bald man in the foreground, supposedly Marco, is still alive and has already been bandaged up.

There are doubts that he is Marco however. Tattoos are visible on his arm and back but not discernible. His Europol profile mentions he has body tattoos of abstract designs (likely their term for a large number of tattoos). From various photos it appears Marco is heavily tattooed on his arms and body. Commenters have noted that the hair color and face look different, however Marco admitted himself to have changed his appearance to some degree since photos were last released of him. He wore a balaclava while giving his video call interview.

“The bald man is supposed to be the killed Marco Ebben. Disclaimer: no idea if the photo is correct and recent. In this photo he is still alive if it is him, given his posture. The uniform of the Red Cross” was written in the caption by Dutch Panorama.nl reporter Mirjam Peters on X.

The Ebben family and friends had their doubts earlier because authorities in the Netherlands and Mexico had never confirmed the death. The exact location of the body is still unclear. Marco’s father Henk Ebben told De Telegraaf that Marco was “found in a morgue by his Russian girlfriend.” He said the girlfriend wants to have Marco’s body flown to Russia and buried there.

According to his Russian girlfriend, Marco Ebben had a gunshot wound to his head. The family believes this story and according to his father Henk, they definitively believe that Marco is dead. No gunshot wound is visible to the head in the photos, but blood is seen all over the man’s face and arms.

Rotterdam detectives visited his family in recent days for more information, requesting an official death certificate. None was provided at the time.

“I no longer doubt that I have lost my son. Marco was always crazy about weapons and did not avoid dangerous situations despite warnings. He said he was convinced that he would not make it to 30 years. I hope that we can still say goodbye to his body,” said father Henk Ebben, who says he is angry that the police keep approaching him. “They should leave us alone,” he thinks.

According to reporter John van Den Heuvel, “Marco Ebben’s family is in mourning, but police have doubts. Is the missing criminal really dead or is he slyly pulling the wool over people’s eyes?”

Is he a drug trafficker traversing the globe and working with who he can to remain in hiding from his rivals and European authorities? Or had he become a hired gun? A flashy, drug trafficking mercenary?

Either way, it may have all come to an end following a shootout in Culiacan, Sinaloa…or that is what Marco Ebben would like the world and European authorities to believe.

Sources: Djaga Djaga, De Telegraaf, De Telegraaf, Twee, Europol, MPeters50, Crime Intel, Rijnmond, Rjinmond, Rjinmond, NL Times, Boevennieuws, Panorama, Reddit, Compachip, Adan Beltran