Dutch drug trafficker Marco Ebben was allegedly betrayed by members of his own cartel faction before he was fatally shot in Atizapán, Mexico, on Feb. 13. New details from Mexican authorities and media reports suggest that Ebben’s murder was orchestrated by figures within the Sinaloa Cartel who feared he would disclose sensitive information if captured by law enforcement.
According to sources cited by Mexican newspaper Milenio, the 32-year-old Dutchman was under surveillance by elite counter-narcotics units linked to Mexico’s navy. The operation was reportedly set to culminate in his arrest on the day of his murder. However, three gunmen intercepted him outside a luxury gym, shooting him before authorities could detain him.
Mexican law enforcement had reportedly been monitoring Ebben’s activities in Atizapán for weeks and had pinpointed his daily routine. His scheduled arrest was planned for just minutes after he left the Sports World gym. Investigators now believe that cartel insiders became aware of the operation and ordered his killing to prevent him from providing intelligence to the authorities.
Ebben, who was known as “El Holandés” within cartel circles, had been involved in drug trafficking and arms deals for over a decade. He was closely aligned with Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada’s faction in the Sinaloa Cartel, which has been locked in a violent struggle with the rival faction led by the sons of jailed cartel boss Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.
Investigators believe that Ebben’s murder was not the result of a random attack but a calculated move by individuals within the cartel who had become suspicious of his loyalty. “The way he was killed suggests an internal betrayal,” an anonymous Europol investigator told Milenio. “They executed him quickly and efficiently, like someone who had outlived his usefulness.”
“Someone within the organization must have realized that Ebben was being watched and that his capture was imminent,” said a high-ranking official from Mexico’s Secretariat of the Navy. “His knowledge of cartel operations, European trafficking routes, and arms deals made him a liability if he were to talk.”
Sources indicate that Ebben played a critical role in smuggling drugs from Mexico to Europe while also facilitating the shipment of firearms to the cartel. His connections reportedly dated back to 2012 when he was introduced to cartel figures by José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa, alias ‘El Chino Ántrax.’
After Aréchiga’s death in 2020, Ebben expanded his operations, allegedly negotiating arms deals from Europe to Mexico and assisting in laundering cartel profits. He had reportedly been living under the alias Jesús Antonio Velásquez Rivas in the wealthy Rancho San Juan neighborhood of Atizapán.
Four suspects have been detained in connection with Ebben’s murder, though their affiliations remain unclear. Authorities are investigating whether the hit was directly ordered by cartel leaders or if it was carried out by rogue members seeking to eliminate a perceived threat.
Ebben had previously been reported dead in October 2024, when media outlets suggested he was killed in a cartel shootout in Sinaloa. However, investigators later suspected that the reports were a ruse to help him evade capture. His reappearance in Atizapán and subsequent murder confirm that he remained active in organized crime until his death.
