Criminal gang leader Los Pulpos captured in Bolivia
Interior Minister confirmed the detention of Jhonsson Smit Cruz Torres, alias "Jhonsson Pulpo", leader of a criminal organisation linked to extortion and contract killings in La Libertad.
Los Pulpos leader falls in Bolivia after years on the run
Interior Minister César Astudillo confirmed the detention in Bolivia of Jhonsson Smit Cruz Torres, alias "Jhonsson Pulpo", identified as the main leader of Los Pulpos, a criminal organisation linked to extortion and contract killings in Trujillo, in the La Libertad region. According to infobae.com, the communication came through the general commander of Peru's National Police (PNP) and intelligence teams that were monitoring the network.
"This main gang leader has finally fallen," Astudillo declared when confirming the operation.
At the time of the announcement, the minister did not specify in which Bolivian city the intervention took place, which authority carried out the arrest, or what the detainee's migration or judicial status is in that country. When asked whether the detention could weaken the organisation, Astudillo responded affirmatively, though he avoided saying whether the blow means its definitive dismantling.
According to what the minister stated, Cruz Torres would have a central position in the group and his influence would be concentrated in Trujillo, where the organisation was associated with extortions, kidnappings and other acts of violence. Astudillo also indicated that the detainee will be transferred to Peru to answer for the investigations against him.
Hours before the announcement, news reports based on police information identified him as the main fugitive gang leader and noted that there was a reward of S/500,000 for information that would allow his capture.
Regarding next steps, the minister stated that authorities will continue working to identify and arrest the other members of the organisation, as well as to determine the degree of responsibility in the crimes being investigated.
Background: the capture of the gang leader's partner
In January 2026, authorities from Peru, Bolivia and Chile participated in the capture in Bolivian territory of Keysi Alessandra Salvatierra Vigo, partner of Cruz Torres, who had an arrest warrant for kidnapping.
Salvatierra's detention allowed the PNP to reconstruct the route that the gang leader and she used to evade justice for years. According to intelligence information, the woman would have left Peru with "Jhonsson Pulpo" with an initial destination of Chile. Her stay in the southern country was only a stopover; subsequently the couple moved to La Paz, Bolivia, the city where she was finally located and detained by local authorities in coordination with the PNP.
Following her capture and subsequent expulsion from Bolivian territory, Salvatierra began an escorted return that took her first to Juliaca, in the Puno region, and then to Lima under the protection of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (Dirincri). She was subsequently transferred to Trujillo, where she faces legal proceedings for her alleged involvement with the network of aggravated kidnappings that operates in La Libertad.
For the PNP, Salvatierra performed key operational functions within the organisation. In her early days in Trujillo she played the role of "spotter", selecting victims with high purchasing power to rob them violently. Over time, her profile evolved towards more serious crimes, including aggravated kidnapping.
Source: Google News PE — Crime