Police capture alias 'Pineda', leader of Los Shottas gang in Buenaventura for cocaine trafficking
The National Police arrested the alleged zonal leader of Los Shottas in La Barra, Buenaventura, accused of drug trafficking and links to the ELN.
Alias 'Pineda', Los Shottas leader, detained in Buenaventura with links to the ELN
The National Police captured alias 'Pineda', identified as a zonal leader of the criminal group Los Shottas, on the beach of La Barra, a rural zone of the port of Buenaventura, in Valle del Cauca. According to infobae.com, the operation was carried out in coordination with the Attorney General's Office by judicial order, and the detainee will face charges of aggravated conspiracy to commit crime.
The authorities attribute to him the coordination of cocaine hydrochloride shipments to Central American countries, as well as promoting alliances with the National Liberation Army (ELN) to dispute territorial control on the Pacific coast. The file also identifies him as responsible for extortion of people linked to illegal mining, forced displacement and theft from boats.
Alias 'Pineda' would have accumulated more than 15 years of criminal activity, with five judicial records for manufacturing, trafficking and carrying firearms or ammunition; aggravated conspiracy to commit crime; use of minors to commit crimes, and rebellion. He operated mainly in the sectors of Juanchaco and La Barra.
"With this arrest we affect the capabilities of this criminal structure and advance in the recovery of security and tranquillity of the communities," the Police stated in their X account.
Los Shottas: structure, territories and alliances
Los Shottas emerged at the end of December 2020 and maintain a presence in much of the continental zone of Buenaventura. Their historical stronghold is concentrated in commune 12, with influence extended to communes 5, 7, 8, 9 and 11. The authorities link the group with drug trafficking, extortion of merchants and transporters, river piracy, homicides and forced displacement of families to seize their homes.
Investigations have also documented alleged links with several fronts of the ELN, aimed at coordinating drug trafficking and maintaining territorial control in zones of the Colombian Pacific.
Five more detained in the same week
Between 21 and 26 September, five other members of Los Shottas—three men and two women—were detained in the Los Pinos neighbourhood, commune 11 of Buenaventura, in the framework of several raids. The authorities link them to hired killings and forced displacements in the port city.
Among those captured is alias 'Alan', identified by the Governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, as leader of the structure in Los Pinos. Colonel Amaury Aguilera, commander of the Valle Police, noted that he had records for trafficking, manufacturing and carrying firearms, theft and prison escape.
"Among those captured is alias 'Alan', indicated as the leader of 'Los Shottas' in Los Pinos. The detainees, who were caught by authorities following several raids, would be linked to hired killings and forced displacements in Buenaventura," affirmed Governor Toro.
In the operations, two revolvers, six improvised explosive devices, communications equipment and ammunition of different calibres were seized. The other detainees had records for manufacturing, trafficking, carrying or possession of firearms.
"We will not allow this type of criminal structures to sow terror among Buenaventura residents, and for that reason we continue to deliver forceful blows to weaken them and working alongside Public Force to protect the communities," stated the departmental official.
Source: Google News CO — Crime