Los Pulpos gang leader arrested in Bolivia – serving life sentence for murder
Johnson Smith Crouse, head of the Peruvian Los Pulpos gang, was arrested in La Paz. His immediate extradition to Peru is expected.
Los Pulpos leader arrested in Bolivia
Johnson Smith Crouse, 30, head of the Peruvian criminal organisation Los Pulpos and one of the most wanted men in Peru, was arrested on Tuesday morning at a property in La Paz whilst attempting to flee. According to ERT, Bolivian authorities announced that his extradition was expected within the same day.
Crouse, known by the alias "Jon Pulpo", has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a merchant during a robbery in Trujillo, a city in northern Peru, in 2020. The city in question was a central area of operations for his gang.
Los Pulpos operates primarily in extortion, kidnapping and murder. According to prosecuting authorities, Crouse is alleged to control approximately one hundred members and is said to have undergone multiple plastic surgery procedures to avoid identification.
The Peruvian police had offered a reward of approximately 126,000 euros for information leading to his whereabouts. American services participated in the arrest operation, which they conducted in cooperation with the police forces of Peru and Bolivia, as reported by the Peruvian police via social media.
Adrián Álvarez, head of the Bolivian police, described Crouse as "a high-value target at the national level", noting that following his activities in Chile and Argentina, he sought to extend his criminal operations to Bolivia as well.
On the weekend preceding his arrest, four people lost their lives in Trujillo during the kidnapping of a mining industry businessman. The hostage was released on Monday afternoon. Authorities attributed the attack to the Pulpos gang.
Source: ERT