Osorno Mayor Jaime Bertín has acknowledged that drug trafficking and use have become a serious problem affecting the municipality. He admitted that crime rates have been on the rise in recent years.
This trend is evident in the seizure and arrest figures reported by law enforcement. According to Bertín, the situation in Osorno mirrors the national crisis regarding drug trafficking.
Raids and Criminal Gangs
In recent months, the area has seen the presence of criminal groups with significant firepower. Last October, police arrested 17 members of the Tren de Aragua faction operating within the municipality.
These individuals displaced local traffickers and took control of various settlements. Criminal activity has spread to specific sectors, including Rahue Alto and the Dignidad settlement.
In January of this year, a raid in the Rahue Alto sector resulted in three arrests and the seizure of over one hundred doses of cocaine paste. Shortly after, in February, the PDI (Investigative Police) dismantled a gang in the Dignidad settlement.
During that operation, seven foreign nationals were arrested, and drugs and distribution materials worth 460 million pesos were seized. The most recent discovery, occurring earlier this month, has raised alarms regarding the arrival of new substances.
Authorities detected the sale of what is being called "Chilean fentanyl" or "cocaine wax" in the Folilche settlement. The operation led to the arrest of seven foreign nationals.
To combat this scourge, the municipality is looking to strengthen surveillance. Bertín announced that a bidding process is underway to install new security cameras at various points throughout the city.
“We have a security unit working on this, and we are implementing more cameras in Osorno,” the mayor stated. He noted that a solution to this problem will not be immediate and requires constant mitigation efforts.
