Police chief attributes selective killings in Santa Cruz to vendettas between drug traffickers
The commander of the Bolivian Police, Adrián Álvarez, links recent homicides in Santa Cruz to internal conflicts between drug trafficking networks.
Bolivian Police: killings in Santa Cruz stem from disputes within drug trafficking
The general commander of the Bolivian Police, Adrián Álvarez, stated on Monday that the recent homicides recorded in Santa Cruz would be linked to internal conflicts between criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, according to reduno.com.bo.
In statements to the programme Que No Me Pierda, Álvarez explained that the crimes would stem from breaches of agreements within those structures. "These events that are occurring with these selective killings like the one that happened this morning here in the Valle Sánchez area respond unfortunately to circuits of people who are involved in illegal drug trafficking activities," the commander stated.
The police chief detailed that drug trafficking operations involve individuals tasked with producing, transporting and commercialising illegal substances. When any of the participants fails to fulfil their commitments, reprisals emerge. "When in one of these phases there are people who do not honour their criminal agreements, then reprisals come, these circuits of taking revenge between criminal groups come," Álvarez said.
The commander clarified that, according to available information, the killings do not necessarily stem from territorial disputes or attempts by one organisation to control another's operations.
Álvarez announced that the Police will maintain their operations to identify and dismantle the criminal structures involved. He also indicated that work is being conducted in coordination with international organisations and police forces from other countries to exchange information and locate persons linked to organised crime.
Source: Google News BO — Crime