Six arrested for kidnapping and torture in 'gota a gota' loan-sharking network in Barranquilla, Soledad and Puerto Colombia
The Barranquilla Metropolitan Police arrested six people linked to an illegal loan network that operated through kidnapping and torture in the metropolitan area.
Six arrested for kidnapping and torture in 'gota a gota' loan-sharking network
The Barranquilla Metropolitan Police carried out simultaneous operations in the municipalities of Barranquilla, Soledad and Puerto Colombia, where six individuals were arrested who are accused of belonging to an organisation dedicated to so-called 'gota a gota' lending. The detainees are being investigated for the crimes of kidnapping and torture, according to information provided by the institution.
During the raids, officers from Gaula seized firearms, mobile phones and ammunition, items that will be analysed as part of the investigation. General Miguel Andrés Camelo, commander of the Metropolitan Police, emphasised that these operations are part of a continuous strategy against criminal structures that use violence to collect debts.
The 'gota a gota' method consists of offering loans with usurious interest rates and then employing intimidatory methods, including deprivation of liberty and physical assault, to force debtors to pay exorbitant sums. Authorities indicated that the arrests represent a significant blow against this criminal practice in the Caribbean region.
The six arrested were placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office so that their legal situation could be determined. The Police reiterated their commitment to continuing to dismantle these networks that affect public safety in the Barranquilla metropolitan area.
_Source: El Tiempo_
Source: Google News CO — Crime