A 13-month undercover operation, Impacto Suroeste, resulted in 44 arrests, with 15 individuals later released, and the seizure of eight illegal firearms, cocaine, and marijuana. The operation, led by Superintendent Joseph González Falcón and Director Héctor Siaca of the Organized Crime Division, targeted independent sellers and small groups of three to four individuals involved in drug and arms trafficking in 17 municipalities.
Of the 52 arrest warrants issued, with total bail set at $12.54 million, 47 were for men, four for women, and one for a teenager. Thirty-nine of those detained had prior convictions for crimes including violations of the Arms and Controlled Substances Law, domestic violence, and assault. Eight firearms and 22 vehicles were confiscated during the operation.
González Falcón noted that the investigation followed leads to different locations and was directed at individuals identified as involved in drug, arms, and illegal activities. The operation also detected coordinated transactions on digital platforms and social media, including those linked to a minor arrested for allegedly selling an illegal firearm and controlled substances to an undercover agent.