Eight of the alleged members of this organization, which transported foreign citizens by land from Cúcuta (Norte de Santander) and Ipiales (Nariño) to Golfo de Urabá, on the border with Panama, were brought to justice.
The Attorney General’s Office, in a joint investigative effort with the National Police, obtained material evidence that indicates the existence of a criminal network known as ‘Los del Patio,’ which is allegedly responsible for irregularly transporting migrants through border areas with Venezuela and Ecuador to Necoclí (Antioquia).
The organization was allegedly responsible for contacting foreigners in Cúcuta (Norte de Santander), offering them transportation and accommodation, and taking them in tourist buses to a parking lot located at Las Cruces in Ipiales (Nariño). At this point, they were concentrated with citizens from Chile, Perú, and Ecuador who crossed through clandestine areas near the Rumichaca International Bridge. They were finally illegally transported by land to Golfo de Urabá, to an area bordering Panama.
During the investigation, statements were made from several victims who were allegedly beaten, whose passports were taken away, and were threatened with firearms since they did not pay the full amount required for their transportation, which ranged between 150 and 200 dollars, and other fees imposed along the way.
Five of the alleged members of ‘Los del Patio’ were arrested as a result of the investigations carried out at properties in Ipiales, and another one in Medellín. During the proceedings, a firearm, ammunition, five cell phones, and dollars and Colombian pesos were seized from them.
A prosecutor appointed to the branch office in Nariño (Seccional Nariño) brought them before a judge and charged them, according to their individual responsibility, with conspiracy to commit trafficking of migrants and manufacturing, trafficking, and possession of firearms for the exclusive use of the Armed Forces. They did not plead guilty to the charges.
The defendants were identified as José Ovidio Vargas Pelay, alleged ringleader; Leonardo Antonio Paredes Pérez, Danyelo José Islanda Toca, David José Islanda Toca, Edwin Manuel Morelos, Luis Alfredo Rúa Riveros, Carlos Eduardo Esaa Barrios and Maikel Javier Virgüez. All of them must serve a prison sentence.
The Office of the Attorney General makes this information public for reasons of general interest.
The information contained in this press release corresponds to the narration of the objective news provided by the officials in charge of carrying out 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.