Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán, alongside Brigadier General José Daniel Gualdrón, commander of the Bogotá Police, spearheaded a major operation over the weekend targeting the criminal activities of gangs in various localities of the Colombian capital.
“We engaged with local merchants to understand their concerns and supported the Police in a large-scale operation aimed at curbing the sale of adulterated liquor, psychoactive substances, and illegal weapons,” highlighted Mayor Galán on his social media platform “X”.
The operation, extensively documented by Galán, included more than 80 police officers conducting surprise interventions in establishments selling adulterated alcohol. The police carried out personal searches, vehicle inspections, background checks, and verification of the establishments’ documentation.
Significant advancements in security measures and the fight against criminal organizations were also noted in Bogotá last week. On June 27, six members of a gang known as “Los Toyoteros,” who specialized in stealing high-end SUVs and selling their parts clandestinely, were apprehended.
This operation was followed by the capture of three members of the “Satanás” group on June 28. The gang leaders, known as “Orejas,” “Beto,” and “Ender,” had been involved in extortion across various parts of the city, including Usaquén, Kennedy, and Barrios Unidos, and were arrested after they threw a grenade against a commercial establishment.
On the same day, Pedro Antonio González, a Venezuelan national accused of murdering a TransMilenio passenger to steal his cellphone, was also captured. Additionally, the authorities discovered the whereabouts of Salomón Fernández Torres, alias “El Salomón,” a key leader of the “Tren de Aragua” gang operating in the south of the capital. “El Salomón,” the right-hand man of the gang’s top leader “Niño Guerrero,” was apprehended in Aguazul, Casanare, and brought to Bogotá to face justice. Mayor Galán highlighted that this operation resulted in “40 direct hits to leaders, coordinators, and criminals” of Tren de Aragua.
Mayor Galán also emphasized the importance of the weekend’s mega-operations. On June 28, he, along with his cabinet and Brigadier General Gualdrón, toured the urban edge and invasion zones of Ciudad Bolívar to address issues related to territorial disputes among gangs and so-called “land grabbers”. “We defined a roadmap to develop an intervention plan in the area and generate immediate and medium-term actions for the benefit of the communities in the southern parts of the city,” stated the Mayor.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Mayor Galán highlighted that drug trafficking is one of the main drivers of crime in capital, and after more than six months of investigations and undercover operations, 37 people involved in criminal activities were arrested during the bank holiday weekend. “In this effort, 14,000 doses of drugs were seized from two organizations that had the capacity to supply more than 27,000 doses of drugs per month in Bogotá,” stated Galán. “This is a significant effort by the police. We are determined and will advance this week to achieve more results,” he said.
