POLICE MEMBERS INVOLVED IN ATTEMPTED DRUG THEFT IN AMATITLÁN ARE CAPTURED

Guatemala, 21 January 2010. Today, in a joint operation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and CICIG, with the cooperation of the National Civilian Police and the Army, 13 people were captured, 10 of whom were involved in the attempted drug theft in Amatitlán on 24 April 2009 at kilometer 30 of the Highway to the Pacific. The remaining three people were arrested during the operation after being caught in the performance of an illegal act.

The operation, which consisted of 23 raids conducted in six cities and municipalities (Cobán, Zacapa, San Juan Sacatepéquez, Palencia, Mixco and Guatemala), resulted in the capture of the following individuals:

1.Ana Teresa TUBAC PÉREZ de PÉREZ
2.Erick Renato LINARES CORDÓN
3.Vinicio Soel TOLEDO MENESES
4.Flor de María AYALA TELLO
5.Francisco José FERNÁNDEZ HERRERA
6.Julio Jonathan DAVILA GOMEZ (PNC)
7.William Leonel FLORES PÉREZ (PNC)
8.José Luis HERNÁNDEZ CRUZ (PNC)
9.Sergio Aníbal RAMOS ZABALETA (PNC)
10.César Augusto SÁNCHEZ LAJUJ (PNC)

The following were captured in the residence of Flor de María AYALA TELLO:

11.Luis Roberto González Berreondo
12.Elías Danilo Barrientos Figueroa
13.Hugo Rolando López García

Among those arrested, five are members of the PNC assigned to the group formerly known as the Analysis and Anti-Narcotics Information Secretariat (SAIA) and five are members of a criminal organization dedicated to the trafficking of in drugs and arms, with strong ties to the Zetas.

The interagency force consisted of 651 people, including 23 prosecutors from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, 73 CICIG officials, 23 DIGICI officers, 140 police officers, 372 military personnel and 20 officers from the Forensic Investigation Department of Public Prosecutor’s Office (DICRI).

Three shotguns, a rifle, an Uzi submachine gun, a M16 rifle, four pistols, over a thousand rounds of ammunition and a stash of marijuana were seized during the raids, among other items.

These apprehensions were part of the investigation of a case involving the seizure of 370 kg of cocaine at a warehouse on km 30 of the road to the Pacific (Amatitlán) on 24 April 2009, during which five members of the National Civilian Police were killed and a large arsenal was seized. The investigation continues.