The Chilean Investigative Police (PDI) has arrested nine members of the criminal gang known as “Los Cucos Jr,” who were responsible for the ambush of former footballer Marcelo Barticciotto and actress Antonella Ríos in the Ñuñoa district.
The operation, carried out by the Criminal Investigation Bureau's EPA Task Force (specializing in ambushes, carjackings, and vehicle hijackings), led to the capture of five adults and four minors. The gang operated across various parts of the Metropolitan Region, using a modus operandi involving armed vehicle theft and intimidation.
The investigation, which began earlier this year, led to the identification of those responsible for at least 14 crimes committed in various areas of the capital and the Valparaíso region.
Raids across multiple districts
Arrests were carried out in the districts of Puente Alto, Lo Barnechea, La Pintana, and El Bosque, as well as the town of El Quisco. During the raids, officers seized cell phones, cash, dried marijuana, and packaged crack cocaine.
Sub-inspector Vaitiare Guerrero, of the EPA Task Force, explained that the investigation gained momentum following the attack on the public figures. She noted that the arrest of an initial suspect allowed investigators to link the group to the remaining crimes.
“This criminal gang was already under surveillance, and the arrest of this individual allowed us to establish links to these 14 crimes in both the eastern and southern sectors of the Metropolitan Region,” the sub-inspector emphasized.
Guerrero also noted that the adult suspects had prior criminal records for receiving stolen vehicles and robbery involving violence or intimidation.
The incident that triggered the investigation occurred on November 28, 2024. Barticciotto and Ríos were intercepted in their vehicle between General Gorostiaga and Pucará streets in Ñuñoa.
Five individuals approached the car, using firearms to intimidate the victims. During the attack, the criminals struck actress Antonella Ríos with a weapon and stole the former footballer's vehicle before fleeing the scene.
The nine detainees have been handed over to the Public Prosecutor's Office to face the corresponding charges.
