Seven detainees in operations were dedicated to robbing miners of El Oro and Azuay

Seven alleged members of a criminal organization were arrested in a simultaneous operation that took place early Wednesday morning.

The evidence includes vehicles, weapons, ammunition, cell phones and clothing similar to that of police officers.

Colonel Galo Erazo, head of the El Oro subzone of the National Police, explained that a prior investigation started three months ago was able to remove from anonymity and identify the members of this criminal structure, who posed as policemen to intimidate their victims.

Assailants murder a man and a woman for stealing $ 900 from a house in a compound in the Piñas canton, in El Oro

In total, there were eight raids carried out by the National Anti-Crime Unit. Two of the seven detainees have a criminal record, all those involved are Ecuadorians and two of the four seized vehicles were used in a botched assault in the Pasaje canton.

Seven kilos of gold, money and property of the workers took armed criminals who broke into the gold plant of the Portovelo canton, in El Oro

Captain Víctor Núñez, from the National Anti-Crime Unit, assured that the leader of this gang is also detained and that two firearms and three cell phones were also seized during the raids.

“These people analyzed the miners and that’s where they follow up. They were looking for the most desolate place on the roads to dock, they even wore police clothing, “added Captain Núñez.

Marcos Flores, provincial prosecutor of El Oro, said that the detainees are involved in several robberies of miners. “Police investigations reveal that this gang operated in the provinces of El Oro and Azuay committing crimes of robbery of people, robbery of commercial premises, extortion and drug trafficking,” said the official. (I)