On March 13, 2024, the Extortion Crime Prosecutor’s Office led the operation «Battle against Extortions» in coordination with the National Civil Police. 81 search, inspection, registration, and evidence seizure procedures were executed in 12 departments. As a result, 54 arrest warrants were carried out, firearms, ammunition, cell phones, and marijuana were seized. Additionally, coordination with the PNC led to the escort of a minor, notification of an individual in a correctional facility, and the capture of three individuals in flagrante delicto.

These coordinated actions by the Extortion Prosecutor’s Office also involved its fiscal agencies in Villa Nueva, Mixco, San Marcos, and Huehuetenango, aiming to impact criminal groups operating in the departments of Guatemala, San Marcos, Quiché, Escuintla, Chimaltenango, Alta Verapaz, Quetzaltenango, Suchitepéquez, Sacatepéquez, Retalhuleu, Jutiapa, and Zacapa.

The operation «Battle against Extortions» targeted criminal organizations «Crazy Gangster» from the Barrio 18 Gang and «Coronados» from the Mara Salvatrucha operating in Villa Nueva, Amatitlán, and Quetzaltenango, extorting money from merchants and transporters ranging from Q700 to Q5,000 weekly.

According to the investigations by the prosecution team, the money collected by these criminal organizations through death threats to their victims amounts to Q130,970.00 for the Barrio 18 Gang and up to Q252,575.00 for organized crime. With this operation, the prosecutor’s office managed to resolve 23 complaints filed for this crime.

March 13, 2024