Mega-agent Interpol: More than 500 arrests during a raid against arms trafficking in 8 countries of Latin America

A raid in eight Latin American countries against the weapons traffic It ended with 560 arrests, including one of a person suspected of providing arms to the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla, Interpol announced on Monday.

This operation involved police officers, customs officers, immigration officers and the army Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama. During the operation, 42,000 checks were made at access points by land, sea and air.

Coordinated by Interpol, the operation dubbed "Trigger v"(Trigger V), which took place from February 22 to 28, led to the Seizure of 857 weapons, 40,000 bullets, 20 grenades and police or military uniforms.

In Costa Rica, in a control vehicle, two AK47 badault rifles were discovered, including one registered in the Interpol database by a Middle Eastern country, which, according to the agency, "shows the transcontinental nature of the arms traffic. "

In Panama, anonymous information led the police to an isolated warehouse filled with ammunition, firearms and explosive material.

Among the arrests, the police cooperation agency based in Lyon (France) highlights that of a man known as "Zeus"or"The monkey", suspected of being in front of an arms trade that provides the ELN.

The man was arrested when he tried to illegally leave Guatemala for Honduras and that it was handed over to the Colombian authorities.

A Honduran was also arrested and weighed against an international arrest warrant.

Interpol adds that of the 47 people arrested in El Salvador, 18 are in the process of related to gangs like Barrio 18 and MS13.

Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said the operation was "an important step towards dismantling illicit networks and protecting citizens".

Interpol pointed out that this operation also allowed add 125,000 illegal weapon records58,000 from Mexico only, to "iARMS", which is the system of registration and tracking illegal arms of the entity, which is funded by the European Union.

In this operation in Latin America, it was evident, according to the police, "the transcontinental nature of the firearms trafficking".

Among the most innovative methods of arms trafficking between Mexico and the United States that were warned during the operation are the hide the balls in the hidden compartments in the car seats and sending by urgent mail each piece of unarmed weapons.

(With information from AFP and EFE)