Prosecutors in Arica have secured convictions totaling 118 years and 256 days of effective prison time for 18 members of a foreign criminal group involved in trafficking ketamine from Peru to Chile. Following an oral trial, the court's ruling affects a group consisting of 13 Ecuadorian nationals, two Venezuelans, one Peruvian, and one Chilean.
According to reports from BioBioChile and El Mostrador, the network had been operating since mid-2024, using methods such as hiding drugs on their persons and using vehicles modified to transport illicit substances. An investigation conducted by the Prosecutor's Office's Intelligence and Organized Crime Unit, alongside the PDI (Investigative Police), detected drug smuggling at the Chacalluta border crossing and the Cuya highway checkpoint.
Transnational Links and the Cult of Santa Muerte
The organization maintained ties to Ecuadorian criminal groups, specifically 'Los Tiguerones' and 'Los Lobos.' According to El Mostrador, the network was affiliated with 'Los Tiguerentes,' the same group responsible for the 2024 riots in Guayaquil and Quito.
The group's only male member, identified as José Luis Herrera Pozo, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Known as 'El Obispo' (The Bishop), he played a leadership role, using various identities from Peru and the Dominican Republic to coordinate operations. His alias reflects his rank within the organization, which practiced the worship of the Mexican deity Santa Muerte.
Investigators determined that the group performed rituals to the deity to seek protection and ensure the success of their drug smuggling operations. El Mostrador noted that the presence of this cult in Ecuador is due to the links between local gangs and Mexican cartels.
Sentences for the convicted women range from three years and one day to eight years in prison. Among the most significant arrests, BioBioChile highlighted an operation last December at a residence on Carlos Orella Street, where the PDI seized 18 kilograms of ketamine and successfully captured the ringleader.
This case marks the fourth oral trial of its kind successfully closed by the Arica Prosecutor's Office in less than two years. Previously, the institution has secured convictions against groups such as Los Gallegos (part of the Tren de Aragua), Tren del Coro, and Los Costeños.