This week an investigation of the Western Metropolitan Prosecutor and the Money Laundering Brigade (BRILAC) of the PDI Investigation Police, with support from the US FBI that managed to dismantle an International spears band dedicated to the “criminal tourism” in the North American country.
In the investigation, headed by the chief prosecutor of Pudahuel, Eduardo Baeza, the background delivered by the FBI both to the Public Ministry and the Civil Police were key. The US agency provided information regarding the leaders of this organization, which allowed to prove coordination and communication between subjects to organize crimes.
The band was dedicated to the theft of luxury residences in the United States and Europe and the sending of goods and money obtained in such crimes to Chile. Families were responsible for reducing species, such as jewels and high -end watches, and hid the resources obtained, acquiring vehicles and properties.
On Tuesday, April 29, a massive operation was held in 11 communes of the Metropolitan Region and at an address of the Algarrobo commune, in the Valparaíso region and 23 people were arrested, including the main leaders of the group.
As accredited in the investigation, the members of this band would have been operating both in Europe (mainly Belgium and Spain), as in the United States, at least since 2020.
To enter and leave Chile, as well as to enter American soil, hid their identity through false or adulterated documentation, or entering unable steps.
However, on Friday morning it was known that a PDI official would have collaborated with them for their income and departures at Santiago airport.
The subject, identified as Walter Fuentes, inspector of the International Police Department Airport, was formalized in the 1st Santiago Guarantee Court and was in preventive detention, precautionary measure that must be fulfilled in a PDI barracks.
Judge Fernando Guzmán estimated that the freedom of the accused constitutes a danger to the security of society.
A 90 days of research was set.
Guzmán said that the participation of the accused in a crime of bribery, was based by the Public Ministry with the testimonies of two members of the criminal organization, Ignacio Morales and David Contreras (both currently in preventive detention) and with “the images of the security cameras of the international air terminal, even with the flight of the criminals along with the spouse of the public official”.
“There are few illicit as serious as the corruption of state agents because not only does public faith affect citizen trust in the state apparatus, but effectively undermine or weakens the foundations of our institutionality,” said the magistrate.
