The defendants would be involved in the sale of narcotics near schools and public areas to support the finances of the criminal organization. They would also be involved in selective homicides.
The Attorney General’s Office prosecuted nine alleged members of the so-called Clan del Golfo who would be involved in drug trafficking activities in this region of the country. In addition, they are investigated for their alleged connection to Jhon Fredy Rueda´s death, a leader of the motorcycle taxi drivers union in Sincelejo (Sucre).
The people allegedly involved are: Juan Carlos Salazar Martínez, Óscar Bertel Murillo, Fabián Novoa Torres, Erneis Wilches Medina, Gustavo Orozco Martínez, Carlos Andrés Paternina, Jean Carlos Romero, Emil Manuel Cuello Barreto and Elkin Sepúlveda Angulo.
According to information in the Office of the Attorney General´s possession, the criminal network sold narcotics in fixed and mobile selling points located near schools and health care institutions in Sincelejo.
A prosecutor belonging to the Support Structure (Estructura de Apoyo EDA) charged the defendants, according to their level of participation, with homicide, conspiracy to commit a crime for the purposes of drug trafficking and manufacturing, trafficking, or possession of firearms, accessories, parts or ammunition (both aggravated).
Prison sentences were imposed on eight of the defendants. House arrest was imposed on Erneis Wilches Medina.
The joint work between Sijín-Police and Gaula-Navy made it possible to arrest nine people on June 21st. As a result of search warrants, 11 cell phones, 2 motorcycles, 1 scale, and several amounts of narcotics as well as cash were seized.
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.