Authorities in Quito arrested two drivers over the weekend after they were caught transporting gas cylinders while under the influence of alcohol, raising serious safety concerns.
The incidents were detected during routine control operations carried out by the Metropolitan Transit Agency (AMT) at different points across the city.
The first case occurred on Friday, April 3. Officials reported that the driver registered 2.05 grams of alcohol per liter of blood while transporting 76 full gas cylinders. Authorities did not disclose the exact location of the stop, but the driver was immediately detained.
A second incident followed on Saturday, April 4, in the parish of San Antonio de Pichincha. In that case, the driver tested at 0.54 grams of alcohol per liter of blood while transporting approximately 40 gas cylinders. He was also taken into custody.
Under Ecuadorian law, drivers of public, commercial, or freight vehicles are subject to a much stricter alcohol limit than private motorists. The maximum permitted level is 0.1 grams per liter of blood. Both drivers significantly exceeded that threshold.
Violations of this limit can result in a series of penalties, including a 60-day suspension of the driver’s license, a fine equivalent to three Unified Basic Salaries, and possible jail time of up to 90 days.
Authorities stressed that transporting hazardous materials such as gas cylinders while impaired represents a high-risk situation, not only for the drivers but also for the public. The AMT indicated that enforcement operations will continue throughout the city in an effort to prevent similar incidents.