Organised crime rises 3.9% in Chile: Carabineros seize 76 tonnes of drugs
Cases of organised crime increased 3.9% in the first half of the year and 82.9% of the population perceives higher delinquency. Authorities warn of challenges in coordination and legislation.
Organised crime advances in Chile and strains the State's response
Cases of organised crime increased by 3.9% during the first half of the year, whilst 82.9% of the population perceives a rise in delinquency, according to biobiochile.cl. The country's senior police authorities acknowledge progress, but also outstanding challenges in coordination, technology and legislation.
Carabineros seized 76 tonnes of drugs during the current year, surpassing the 62 tonnes recorded during the whole of 2025. The general director of the institution, Marcelo Araya, highlighted that result as evidence of progress in the fight against drug trafficking. However, he warned that criminal organisations have evolved towards more violent methods, such as extortionate kidnappings and homicides.
The general director of the PDI, Eduardo Cerna, stated that Chile has the institutions and powers necessary to confront the threat of organised crime. Nevertheless, he identified a central weakness: the lack of coordination and exchange of information between the different State bodies.
The Under-Secretary for Crime Prevention, Gonzalo Guerrero, noted that the main dispute between the State and criminal gangs is territorial control. Guerrero called for modernising current legislation and strengthening the investigative capacities of the institutions.
The authorities agree that organised crime operates with new technologies, greater violence and international networks, which requires constant adaptation of the State's response. Despite the operational results recorded, the underlying challenge remains adjusting institutional tools to match the pace of evolution of criminal organisations.
Source: Google News CL — Crime