The Sampedranos: a gang of narco with 125 armed "soldiers" in the village 31

Firearms, ammunition, volunteer killers and a long history of homicides were, until last week, the main tools of eight
drug traffickers originally from Paraguay who led a huge criminal group composed of at least
125 "soldiers & # 39;, among whom there were many minors, in the heart of the
villa 31.

Thus, thanks to a complex drug distribution system, supported by four security networks arranged to protect bunkers, criminals from a self-appointed gang
"The sampedranos" they managed to control the sale of cocaine, paco and marijuana in the heart of villa 31 de Retiro, to generate monthly profits of more than 12 million pesos, according to judicial information to which she would have adhered
THE NATION.

To identify the 125 people that make up this organization and capture 17 members, an interdisciplinary team of the No. 1 federal prosecutor – led by Jorge Di Lello – coordinated for over a year the joint work of three brigades. undercover agents with a primary purpose: to determine the origin of the drugs sold in the village 31.

The prosecution explained: "The substances would arrive from neighboring territories in the north of our country, destined for retail distribution in different parts of the city and the province". In turn, the researchers argued that "there is a well-founded suspicion" that drug supply is carried out by one or more important groups that "would be – on the hierarchical scale. – above "the group that was disjoined in villa 31. In this regard, they also reported to the prosecutor's office that, as they had found, some members of the group had gone to several times in Paraguay.

During the raids, 15 kilograms of drugs, 15 vehicles, three firearms, dozens of ammunition and a bulletproof vest were seized. The judicial record confirms that the number of members of the narco group exceeds 125 identified persons and specifies that the activities cover the areas named Barrio San Martín, Barrio Güemes and Playón Este: "The scenario in which the activities investigated are conducted is under the control absolute of this organization ".

New research techniques

The Office of the Federal Prosecutor No. 1 investigates the activities of drug traffickers in the region since 2012, but on this occasion it has been using since June 2018 with the police of the city of Buenos Aires a set of hidden cameras carefully placed for filming, the activities of the narco group. Thus, for the first time in the criminal history of Villa 31, narco leaders have been identified. "Never before has this dimension of the phenomenon taken place, its excessive character was striking," they explained during the prosecution.

This surveillance system has become important because the inhabitants of the district really fear the revenge of the Paraguayan narcotics if they decided to collaborate with the justice. According to the document, the neighbors "categorically refused" to provide information about the criminal group "for fear of reprisals". In addition, cameras have also overcome a key obstacle to the identification of leaders: criminals communicate in Guarani.

Finally, the prosecutors added: "The issue badyzed has reached a level that deserves efforts to neutralize it and propose urgent measures to change the reality and provide a solution.In this regard, it should be clear that it does not This is not a utopian vision in order to eradicate a scourge of transnational scope, but to seek to mitigate the effects and create the necessary conditions to avoid its resurgence and proliferation to levels as highlighted. "