In less than 48 hours, the Ecuadorian Police have arrested another significant number of people allegedly linked to criminal organizations.
This Friday, the Prosecutor’s Office announced that 18 people, including a soccer player and three police officers, have been arrested for apparently being linked to Los Tiguerones. On Thursday, more than 20 suspected members of the Chone Killers were arrested.
The capture has aroused concern, because among the detainees is Gabriel Cortez, a footballer on the Barcelona payroll.
Los Tiguerones is one of 17 gangs that the government has identified as operating in Ecuador, which along with Los Choneros and other offshoots have become known for controlling the country’s prisons.
“Not only do we believe (that soccer player) has participation, but he was the one who ordered and received information regarding the people who were deprived of life by the assassins,” says minister on the capture of Gabriel Cortez
This gang began to be talked about five years ago and it is believed that it has ramifications in several provinces. Its members have been linked to clashes that broke out in prisons and left inmates dead.
But they have wings in other provinces, with leaders who have ties to international criminal groups.
Carlos Cabrera, commander of the Police, said that Los Tiguerones have criminal activities in Esmeraldas and there is controlled by a sixth ringleader in that area. He directed the operation from the prison of that border city.
According to the Police, this gang has connections with the Oliver Sinisterra group, FARC dissidents, and is related to the trafficking of illicit substances, murders, extortion, and arms trafficking. Those dissidents were led by alias Guacho, responsible for the death of a journalistic team from Trade.
In Guayaquil, the leader of Los Tiguerones has been identified as William Alcívar, alias Commander Willy. It is said that he was a prison guide. Also related to Los Tiguerones is Álex Salazar Villamar, who benefited from the semi-open regime last year after serving 60% of his sentence.
In November, former Government Minister Alexandra Vela questioned Salazar’s release.
They arrest 18 people who would be linked to the Los Tiguerones gang; there is a soccer player and three police officers among those arrested
He directed operations from one of the pavilions of the Guayaquil Penitentiary. There he was serving a sentence for reception, a crime defined in art. 202.
Within the archives of the judicial system there are two processes linked to this type of crime.
The operations of this gang are located in Guayas and in the south of Guayaquil several criminal acts have been linked to members of that gang.
The link that the Police has made between the footballer and this band has caused a stir. The Minister of the Interior, Patricio Carrillo, has said that they believe that the athlete not only has participation (with the Los Tiguerones organization), but was also the one who ordered and received the information regarding the people that the assassins attacked.
In police documents containing the 18 detainees, it is indicated that the athlete received notification of the execution of deaths and the sale of weapons.
Within the list of 18 detainees there are two women accused of hiding weapons and identifying the victims to kill.
The others arrested are accused of murder, robbery, arms sales and other crimes.
According to police investigations, the captured active uniformed officers gave information and mobilized members of the gang. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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