Jeison Alexander Lorca Salazar, known as “Jeison Comino”, was captured in Colombia in a joint operation between Colombian and Venezuelan authorities, according to President Gustavo Petro on his social networks.
The arrest was carried out in the municipality of Los Santos, Santander, as part of Operation Border. Lorca Salazar is considered the second most important leader of the Tren de Aragua criminal group in Colombian territory and was wanted by Interpol. through a red notice issued by Venezuela.
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President Petro announced the capture and highlighted the collaboration with the Venezuelan Judicial Police. Lorca Salazar faces charges for crimes of terrorism, aggravated criminal association, trafficking in weapons, ammunition and extortion.
“The second most important leader of the Aragua train falls in Colombian territory and with the work of the Colombian police supported by the Venezuelan police,” wrote the Colombian president.
According to Venezuelan authorities, it operated in the areas of Tasajera and Los Teques, located in the states of Aragua and Miranda.
According to what the president shared, the man must now “appear for syndicated criminal proceedings for the crimes of Terrorism, Aggravated Criminal Association, Arms/Ammunitions Trafficking and Extortion. Profile and trajectory of the objective.
In an operation that took place in mid-October of this year in Bogotá, the authorities managed to capture five members of the criminal group known as the Aragua Train. This group, involved in extortion activities and other serious crimes, was dismantled thanks to a series of raids carried out in different locations in the city.
The mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, together with the commander of the Bogotá Police, José Daniel Gualdrón, and the secretary of Security, Coexistence and Justice, César Restrepo, presented the results of this operation in a press conference.
Galán stressed that the fight against extortion is a priority for his administration, and mentioned that those captured are linked to a grenade attack that occurred in September in the town of Kennedy, which resulted in two deaths and ten injuries.
Among those detained are aliases “Bellaco” and aliases “Francesca”, who are considered dangerous leaders within the organization. “Bellaco” was identified as the person responsible for the grenade attack, while alias ‘Francesca’ was dedicated to extorting women who engage in sexual activities in the sector, demanding monthly payments from them.
According to the information issued by the authorities, the operations were led by the Unified Action Group Against Personal Freedom (Gaula) of the Police and the Intelligence Section of the Bogotá Police, in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office. . During the investigations, narcotics, firearms and extortion pamphlets were seized, and it was discovered that the criminals were dosing drugs for sale in the town of Kennedy.
Commander Gualdrón reported that, of the people captured for extortion in Bogotá, 32 belong to the Tren de Aragua, while the rest are from common crime groups. In addition, Secretary Restrepo stressed that operations are being carried out in critical areas of the city to combat crime effectively.
So far this year, the Bogotá Police have arrested more than 5,000 people for drug trafficking and 178 for extortion, reflecting the commitment of the authorities in the fight against organized crime in the Colombian capital, according to figures from the Mayor’s Office.
The Aragua Train, a transnational criminal organization, has suffered several blows in Colombia with the capture of several of its members. In a report published in October, it was reported that between 2022 and 2023, Colombian authorities had captured 129 members of this gang.
The criminal organization not only operates in Bogotá, but also has a presence in countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, the United States and Spain. In Bogotá, in addition to the towns of Bosa, Ciudad Bolívar and Kennedy, the Aragua Train has infiltrated areas such as Antonio Nariño, Barrios Unidos, Chapinero, La Candelaria, Los Mártires, Puente Aranda, Santa Fe, Teusaquillo and Tunjuelito and Usme. Criminal activities have even been reported in Usaquén, where an attack on a commercial establishment resulted in three arrests.
