An operation carried out by the National Civil Police (PNC) of Guatemala in zone 5 of Retalhuleu culminated in the discovery of 111 kilos of cocaine, marking one of the most significant seizures of the year in the country. The intervention, carried out early this Saturday morning, took place after an anonymous tip received through the anti-narcotics line 1577, which alerted about suspicious movements in the San Luis neighborhood. Agents from the Subdirección General de Análisis de Información Antinarcótica (SGAIA), with the support of a canine agent and prosecutors from the Ministerio Público, entered a house where they located a pick-up truck with a hidden compartment. There, the investigators identified the packages that, upon inspection, totaled 111 kilos of cocaine. According to the PNC, the seized drug is valued at approximately 15 million quetzales. Investigations are ongoing to locate and capture those responsible, although no arrests directly linked to this case have been reported so far. In parallel, security forces conducted another raid in the town of San Andrés Villa Seca, also in Retalhuleu. In this operation, agents from the Specialized Division in Criminal Investigation (DEIC) and prosecutors from the Public Ministry arrested Isaías “N”, 53 years old, and José “N”, 24 years old. The detainees were found with 53 packets of crack, a bag of marijuana, three “fangs” containing cocaine, a mobile phone, and 735 quetzales in cash, an amount that could be related to the sale of narcotics. The evidence collected was packed and sent for analysis, while the detainees were placed at the disposal of the corresponding courts.
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Police actions in Guatemala were not limited to Retalhuleu. During the day, the PNC reported several arrests in different parts of the country, as part of the operations of the Plan Centinela Metropolitano. In the Amparo 1 neighborhood, zone 7 of Guatemala City, anti-narcotics agents arrested Adrián “N”, 19 years old, who, after a search, was found with “colmillos” (small bags) with cocaine and several mobile phones. Subsequently, the institution reported the location of two blisters with 15 crack rocks each, five cocaine rocks, 190 capsules with cocaine and three phones that will be subject to investigation to determine their relationship with criminal structures. In zone 11, 4th street and 14th avenue, agents from the 14th police station reported a 17-year-old minor, caught with 10 small bags of marijuana, four “joints” with cocaine and three marijuana cigarettes. The seized objects were placed under judicial custody, while the teenager was placed at the disposal of the juvenile court. These operations are part of the Guatemalan authorities’ strategy to combat drug trafficking and micro-trafficking, both in urban and rural areas. According to official data, the coordination between the PNC and the Public Ministry has managed to dismantle various networks dedicated to the commercialization and distribution of narcotics, with some cases in which international links have been identified. The most recent blow to drug trafficking in Retalhuleu is related to the regional phenomenon of drug trafficking, where Guatemala and El Salvador are key points in the routes for the transfer of illicit substances. On February 13th, the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic (FGR) of El Salvador, in coordination with the National Civil Police, carried out an operation that ended with the capture of ten people accused of being members of an international drug trafficking organization. On that occasion, the authorities seized methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, “tusi”, boxes of controlled medications, cash, vehicles, and electronic devices. Among those arrested were Guatemalan and Salvadoran citizens, and the investigation pointed to the existence of active routes between both countries.Despite the magnitude of these seizures and captures, the authorities recognize that criminal structures maintain diversified operations and sophisticated concealment methods, such as the use of vehicles with secret compartments and the participation of different profiles in the criminal chain. The joint work between police and prosecution divisions aims not only to seize drugs, but also to identify and prosecute the members of these networks.
