Twelve Gendarmerie officers were arrested for their alleged involvement in an arms trafficking network that was “led and coordinated from prison.”
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, following an investigation that lasted almost a year, a massive operation was carried out early yesterday morning that included raids on five penal units and private homes in the Metropolitan and Coquimbo regions.
The prison officers were denounced by the Gendarmerie itself for their involvement in “various illegal activities associated with acts of corruption.”
The network in question “was dedicated to the importation and sale of weapons, led and coordinated from prison,” and in addition to the Western Prosecutor’s Office, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Gendarmerie, the OS-9 and the GOPE of Carabineros participated in its dismantling.
During the procedure, five civilians were arrested who were involved in the importation and sale of weapons, being led and coordinated from prison. Ten gendarmes were also captured, who were allegedly involved in various illegal activities associated with acts of corruption.
This investigation is part of the “Investigative Focus for Combating Organized Crime in Penitentiary Facilities” and is still in development, with pending proceedings, under reserve, so “its results will be communicated to the press within the next few days,” during the respective formalization hearing, the Prosecutor’s Office ruled.
Undersecretary
Undersecretary of Justice Jaime Gajardo said that the gendarmes “are in control of the detention, we understand that the formalizations will begin today (yesterday) and will continue in the following days.” He added that they are being investigated for violation of the law on arms control, among other crimes.
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