First clandestine poppers laboratory dismantled in Chile: three arrested
Chilean authorities dismantled a criminal network dedicated to producing and distributing poppers, with a laboratory in the Valparaíso Region. Three Chilean citizens were arrested following months of coordinated investigation.
Three arrested following dismantling of Chile's first poppers laboratory
Police and inter-institutional authorities dismantled a clandestine structure dedicated to the production and distribution of poppers in the central zone of Chile, according to publimetro.cl. The operation culminated in the arrest of three Chilean citizens who led the operations of the illicit organisation.
According to PDI investigations, the gang acquired chemical precursors at various points in the Metropolitan Region and transported them to the Valparaíso Region, where the clandestine laboratory operated. The substance was subsequently traded and distributed in various communes across the central part of the country.
The origin of the legal process dates back to preventative inspections by the National Customs Service at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. During routine reviews, officials detected the continuous arrival of bottles, labels and boxes which, individually, did not constitute prohibited items, but which triggered alarms due to their connection to the manufacture of illicit substances.
The regional director of Metropolitan Customs, Rodrigo Díaz, specified that in this case more than 100 shipments associated with materials used by the criminal network were identified. Díaz added that over the past two years border controls have seized around 10,000 units of poppers in the country.
Based on the alert raised by Customs, the Western Criminal Analysis Prosecution Office and the PDI conducted an investigation that extended over several months. Intelligence work made it possible to identify the gang members, the companies linked to the importation, and the exact location of the premises in the Valparaíso Region.
The National Head Against Organised Crime of the PDI, Johnny Fica, highlighted the effectiveness of coordinated work between state agencies. Prosecutor Daniel Contreras, for his part, valued the early detection of materials that seemed harmless but were intended for the sale of this drug and posed risks to public health.
Source: Google News CL — Crime