PRESS RELEASE 002
ARRESTS FOR GASOLINE SMUGGLING AND CUSTOMS FRAUD
Guatemala, January 25, 2012. In the past few hours, National Civil Police (PNC) officers, together with Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) and CICIG officials, arrested a number of PNC officers for their alleged involvement in, among other things, illegal gasoline smuggling for more than 10 years (GASOFA Case). The arrested parties were handed over to justice.
The following were arrested in Mixco on Tuesday, January 24:
Marvin Delfino Barrios Marchena—charged with criminal association, customs fraud, obstruction of justice, a special case of smuggling, a special case of customs fraud and money laundering.
Pablo Arnulfo Ruano Montes de Oca—charged with criminal association, customs fraud, obstruction of justice and a special case of customs fraud.
Emiliano López Velásquez, known as "El Sireno"—charged with criminal association, customs fraud and obstruction of justice.
After being arrested, they were brought before the judge on duty at the Peace Court of Mixco.
The following were arrested today in Guatemala City:
Luis Rolando Galicia Botón (legal representative of Coinpesa [International Oil Corporation Ltd.])—charged with criminal association, customs fraud and customs contraband.
Lidia Lorena Calderón Portillo (legal representative of the oil company Petróleo Maya S.A.)—charged with criminal association, customs fraud and customs smuggling. She was arrested outside of her place of residence in Zone 14, Guatemala City.
Paulino García Villalta was arrested in Zone 1 of the capital—charged with criminal association, a special case of smuggling and a special case of customs fraud.
The arrested individuals were brought before the High-Risk Court B of the First Instance for Criminal Matters, Drug Trafficking and Crimes against the Environment—presided over by Judge Miguel Ángel Gálvez—to offer their initial statements.