A criminal organization dedicated to the theft, marketing and illegal export of copper was dismantled after a wide joint operation between the Investigation Police (PDI) and the Public Ministry. The band operated in different regions of the country – including Coquimbo, Calama and Santiago – and extended their international network to countries such as India and Belgium. Its leader is Francisco San Martín Álvarez, a well -known mining entrepreneur in the area and Exprecandidato to mayor of the Republican party.
The name of San Martín sounded a lot in the last municipal elections such as the Charter of the Republican Party to snatch the municipal chair to the current mayor of Coquimbo Ali Handouchehri. In fact, his name was ratified at the time by Andrés Guerra, former candidate for governor for the Republican party and today a candidate for deputy for the same party.
San Martín – currently in preventive detention – and that according to criminal investigation is the leader of the criminal association aimed at stealing cable of the electric line and then exporting it to the Indian and Belgian market, tried during the organic of the Republican Party in the Coquimbo Region.
According to the background of the party led by José Antonio Kast, San Martín during the year 2020 nominated the Regional Cabildo of the Republican Party but it went wrong. He only obtained 8 votes of 297 in total.
As an entrepreneur he is dedicated to mining activity in the area of White Lands and until 2024 he was a manager of the College of Engineers.
Red gold operation
During the day on Tuesday, the Investigation Police, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Presidential Delegation announced the scope of the so -called Red Oro Operation that arrested 18 people, including 7 foreigners. In addition, they seized $ 160 million, money in international currency, 10 vehicles and motorcycles.
As explained by the Inspector Ernesto León, head of the PDI Police Region in Coquimbo, the organization began operating in La Serena, where the first cases of reception were detected. Subsequently, the stolen copper was transferred to Calama, then to Coquimbo and finally to Funditions in Santiago, from where he was illegally prosecuted and exported.
“The impact of this network was not only economic. We are talking about a crime that directly affects people’s quality of life. Cable subtraction leaves entire communities without basic services,” said the regional presidential delegate, Galo Luna.
The Public Security Seremi, María José Rojas, highlighted the interregional nature of work and coordination between various institutions, including prosecution and customs. “This is a crime that affected not only the region. The result of this operation demonstrates the government’s commitment to the disarticulation of these criminal networks,” he said.
The “Red Gold” operation is part of the actions of the Council against organized crime, which prioritizes high -impact crimes such as copper theft, a problem that affects both public services and key productive sectors of the country. Among the crimes investigated are criminal association, tax fraud, customs crimes, money laundering and reception.
Recall that one of the most recurrent headaches in the region, especially in the commune of La Higuera, was the theft of electric transmission cable cables.
