Roney Ríos, leader of the Ríos Clan, captured in raids in Cateura
Paraguayan police arrested the head of the Ríos Clan, the main suspect in the murder of a non-commissioned officer in 2023. Six simultaneous raids were carried out in the Cateura neighbourhood.
Drug trafficker leader arrested in Cateura after overnight operation with six raids
Paraguay's National Police captured Roney Ríos, leader of the so-called "Ríos Clan" and the main suspect in the murder of a non-commissioned inspector, in a simultaneous operation involving six raids carried out in the early morning hours in the Cateura neighbourhood. According to misionesonline.net, the operation also enabled the dismantling of a network linked to drug trafficking, contract killings and attacks against security forces.
What caught the attention of agents from the Anti-Narcotics Department was the surveillance system installed in the clan's main residence: Ríos had a monitoring room integrated into his living room, where a large television connected to strategically positioned cameras allowed him to observe all access points to his block and the movements on the street in real time.
The police strategy consisted of raiding at dawn to bypass precisely that technological system, catching the suspects whilst they slept.
Arrest warrant for murder of a police officer
Ríos was subject to an arrest warrant for wilful homicide linked to the murder of a non-commissioned inspector that occurred on 27 August 2023. On that occasion, the police officer was shot dead by a contract killer acting under the orders of the clan, in the same neighbourhood where the raids were carried out.
Police commissioner Mario Vallejos confirmed that, although the main target is now in custody, proceedings are continuing in other residences related to the clan's logistics.
Results of the operation
The balance of the operation recorded so far includes:
- 6 detainees, including the leader and other key members of the organisation.
- Video surveillance system and several mobile phones seized, which will be subjected to expert examination.
- Drugs seized: doses of various drugs ready for sale.
Vallejos noted that the analysis of the seized mobile phones could provide information about the clan's supplier network and its links to other crimes in the border region.
Source: Google News PY — Crime