Under the direction of the head of the Interior Ministry, Francisco Jiménez, 1,500 agents from the National Civil Police (PNC), 85 from the elite force of the penal system and 10 with biometric readers “MI3” are taking part in the operation.
The authority wrote on its official account on the social network
This action is a clear message from President Bernardo Arévalo to the population, to the national and international media and to the whole world that Guatemala is moving forward, emphasized Jiménez.
Yesterday I said it and today I repeat it to the blackmailers: “It will not last like this,” he stressed, referring to an earlier message to the nation following the death of someone as a result of such a scourge.
The process is still ongoing and, according to Deputy Interior Minister Claudia Palencia, 30 cell phones have been located so far during the search at Pavón prison.
“These security measures are part of the hundred-day work plan,” the head of the Interior Department said in statements to Emisoras Unidas.
The PNC of this Central American territory dismantled 34 criminal structures of extortionists in 2023 and arrested 2,882 of their members.
Analysts warned that orders were being issued from prisons with the approval of directors and guards and called for security measures to be stepped up, such as blocking telephone signals at these points of origin.
An anonymous survey conducted early last year revealed details about the prevalence of this crime, how criminals operate and its impact on business across the country.
According to reports, the concern caused by such a scourge directly affects people's behavioral patterns and limits their public coexistence and relationships in Guatemala.
Gas/Znc