Gang 'Los Seguros' operated from abandoned hotel on Siete de Agosto: 12 arrested
An abandoned hotel in Barrios Unidos concealed the operations centre of the gang 'Los Seguros'. Twelve alleged members were arrested following a year-long investigation.
Hotel La Rosa Dorada: abandoned façade that concealed drug trafficking and torture in Bogotá
A five-storey hotel with closed doors in the Siete de Agosto neighbourhood, in the Barrios Unidos locality, functioned as a storage centre for narcotics and a punishment point for those attempting to leave the criminal organisation 'Los Seguros'. According to bogota.gov.co, the operation that allowed the dismantling of the building was the result of a year-long joint investigation between the Bogotá Police and the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation.
The Hotel La Rosa Dorada, which had ceased commercial operations, did not raise suspicions in the traditional neighbourhood. Behind its deteriorated façade, the gang coordinated drug distribution in the sector and exercised violence against criminals from other organisations or against members seeking to distance themselves from the organisation.
A year of monitoring and an undercover agent
The investigation began when police received information about unusual movement of people linked to drug trafficking in the building. From that point onwards, the authorities deployed tracking, surveillance, interception and recording measures. An undercover agent managed to infiltrate the organisation to document its internal operations and gather evidence for the judicial process.
As the investigation progressed, it was established that the building served as a drug warehouse from which distribution in Siete de Agosto was coordinated. The evidence also verified that those who wanted to leave the gang or belonged to rival organisations were subjected to violent punishments.
Leader identified as 'La Madre'
Once the evidence had been consolidated, the authorities executed the operation and arrested 12 alleged members of the organisation. The leader was identified by the alias Marcela, also known as La Madre, with a record for offences related to drug trafficking. Her son, alias Millos, was arrested as second-in-command, accused of coordinating illicit activities alongside Pancho and Alejandro.
Over 22,000 bazuco capsules seized
During the proceedings, more than 22,000 bazuco capsules, 3,600 cannabis cigarettes, doses of cocaine and tusi, firearms, mobile telephones and accounting records were seized, which according to the authorities evidence the functioning of the criminal organisation.
The district security secretary, César Restrepo, noted that "combating drug trafficking is attacking the financial base of multiple crimes. Each operation that affects these organisations reduces their capacity to sustain activities such as extortion, homicides, theft and human trafficking, weakening the illegal economies that threaten the city's security".
Space recovered following intervention
The intervention at Hotel La Rosa Dorada not only dismantled the gang operating from the building, but also allowed recovery of a space that, according to the judicial investigation, had been transformed into infrastructure serving crime.
The District Secretariat for Security, Coexistence and Justice reiterates the call to the public to report any criminal activity through the Emergency Line 123.
Source: Google News CO — Bogotá