An offensive carried out by the Office of the Attorney General and the National Police against structures that affect public safety

In a week of investigations, four large criminal organizations received a hard blow.

The Office of the Attorney General and the National Police coordinated their investigative capacities and carried out judicial procedures which allowed them to arrest 25 people and to impact four criminal gangs allegedly involved in activities that affect public safety in Bogotá and Cali.

The structures that were impacted:

CALI

• ‘Los Keta’

The Office of the Attorney General achieved the prosecution of 15 alleged members of ‘Los Keta’, a criminal organization that would be responsible for committing selective murders, kidnappings, thefts, and the commercialization of synthetic drugs at parties, commercial establishments, or home deliveries in Cali (Valle del Cauca).

The investigations revealed that this gang allegedly controlled the trafficking of ecstasy and Tucibi (2CB). Apparently, it sold up to 730 doses per week, obtaining about $350,000,000 illegal incomes per month.

This structure would have an armed component that was in charge of controlling the illicit market for the distribution of narcotics, sanctioning those who distribute substances from other groups, collecting debts, and providing hitmen services, with people in charge of murdering, kidnapping, and displacing victims.

‘Los Keta’ were arrested in proceedings carried out in Cali and Bogotá by the Sijín- Metropolitan Police in Cali. Several amounts of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, 2CB, heroin ketamine, bottles of coloring products, and other elements used to produce synthetic drugs were seized in the proceedings.

Likewise, cell phones, firearms, 22-caliber cartridges, garments for the exclusive use of the public force, weighing machines, cigarette presses, and relevant information for the processing were found.

A prosecutor appointed to the Sectional Office in Cali brought the detainees before a supervisory judge and charged them with aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, aggravated theft, forced displacement, aggravated criminal conspiracy; manufacture, trafficking, and possession of narcotics; trafficking, manufacture, and possession of firearms, accessories, parts, and ammunition; and criminal restraint.

The defendants did not plead guilty to the charges and must serve a prison sentence.

The defendants are Esteban Alexánder Obando Quiceno, alias Mandarina, alleged leader of the criminal organization; and Diego Andrés Quintero Henríquez, alias Nerón or El Negro, an alleged coordinator of hitmen.

In the course of the investigations against ‘Los Keta’, the Office of the Attorney General managed to clarify one murder, three attempted murders, one kidnapping and two thefts committed in 2020. Likewise, eight facts were prevented (five murders, two kidnappings, and one robbery ).

BOGOTÁ.

• ‘Los Corraleros’

The Office of the Attorney General brought five alleged members of a criminal organization known as ‘Los Corraleros’ before a supervisory judge. This organization is allegedly involved in thefts committed against people in the transport system Transmilenio in Bogotá.

These people were caught in flagrante delicto by members of the National Police. They allegedly intimidated a woman with a sharp weapon at the bus station known as Marsella located in the southwestern part of the city and stole her phone. Then, they allegedly tried to throw her onto the highway. The attack was recorded by security cameras.

According to the investigations, these people would be responsible for several thefts that took place at this station.

A prosecutor assigned to the Immediate Reaction Unit (Unidad de Reacción Inmediata URI) in Puente Aranda charged the five people arrested with aggravated theft. They did not plead guilty to the charges. Four of the defendants were sent to prison. The people deprived of their liberty are: Brayan Steven Portilla Gordillo, Eddie Santiago Salcedo Barrios, Cristian Darley Álvarez Hernández and Fabio Alexánder Gómez Pachón.

• Foreign citizens accused of stealing in a coffee shop in Bogotá were arrested

After accepting the arguments presented by the Office of the Attorney General, a supervisory judge imposed detention measures for three foreign citizens who allegedly participated in a robbery that took place on April 5th, in one of the headquarters of an international coffee chain, in the north area of Bogotá.

The investigation coordinated by a prosecutor from the Theft Unit of the Sectional Directorate in Bogotá established that these people entered the commercial establishment located in Usaquén and threatened the guard with firearms. Valuable objects were allegedly taken from customers and the defendants subsequently fled on two motorcycles.

During the assault, one of the victims was injured. According to the complaints, the items stolen would amount to $ 20,000,000. The Office of the Attorney General charged the three alleged perpetrators with aggravated theft, intentional and aggravated personal injuries. They did not plead guilty to the charges.

Two of the defendants, identified as Héctor David Mendoza Santiago and Tony Rafael Pernía Varela were sent to prison. on the other hand, a house arrest measure was issued for Yancarlos José Urbina Cegarra.

• The Office of the Attorney General gives a hard blow against ‘Los Rolex’

The Office of the Attorney General through the Sectional office in Bogotá obtained a detention measure against two alleged members of the criminal network known as Los Rolex. They are Steven Ossa González and Walter Steven Guzmán Restrepo, who were arrested in Medellín (Antioquia) by virtue of a judicial order.

These people allegedly participated in a theft that took place on February 6 in the so-called Parque de la 93 in the north area of the city. The victim was in a commercial establishment and was intimidated with a firearm by one of the thieves, who stole his watch.

The investigations revealed the modus operandi of the organization ‘The Rolex’. One person was in charge of selecting the victim; after that, another person intimidated the victim with a firearm and forced the victim to hand over the belongings; and a third accomplice waited for the thief on a motorcycle in order to escape.

The Office of the Attorney General charged the two detainees with aggravated theft, and conspiracy to commit a crime. The evidence shows that they would be involved in four facts between November 2020 and February 2021. The stolen items amount to $ 211,000,000.

“We are not going to allow crime to take control of the streets of our cities. The Office of the Attorney General with all its investigative staff, with its prosecutors, with  Dijín, with Sijín, with the National Police, will not allow it. We provide itinerancy and we want citizens to feel satisfied with our work to preserve the institutions and public safety”, said the Attorney General Francisco Barbosa, referring to the great offensive.

When we speak, results follow.

The information contained in this press release corresponds to the narration of the objective news provided by the officials in charge of carrying out the criminal investigations within the Office of the Attorney General. By the time this communication is disclosed, the legal status of the people mentioned is still pending to be resolved by the competent judicial authority, always under the presumption of innocence contemplated by Article 29 of the Political Constitution and Article 7 of Law 906 of 2004.