In a significant security operation on Tuesday, officials from the Chilean Investigative Police (PDI) dismantled a human trafficking cell linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, alarmingly located just steps away from the La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago. The operation, executed by PDI’s Bitrap Human Trafficking Brigade, culminated in the arrest of four Venezuelan nationals who are set to face charges on Thursday. In addition to the arrests, authorities rescued 12 women—victims of the trafficking ring—who were held captive and forced into prostitution. A one-year-old child, presumably the son of one of the trafficked women, was also freed during the police action, marking a crucial intervention in a troubling case of human rights violations.
The individuals arrested were reportedly responsible for coordinating the transport of these women to locations where they provided sexual services and collecting payments from their clients. Victims were coerced into paying 350,000 Chilean pesos (approximately $353) weekly to the gang. The operations of the trafficking cell were chillingly close to the corridors of power in Santiago, with reports indicating that its base of operations was merely three blocks from the presidential palace. Furthermore, authorities uncovered a “torture center” associated with the gang, revealing the extent of exploitation and violence the victims faced.
The police’s investigation began in October when the gruesome murder of a 20-year-old Venezuelan male drew attention. His body was found burned and riddled with 15 gunshot wounds in Colina, a northern region of the Santiago Metropolitan area. It was later determined that both the victim and his murderers shared connections to the Tren de Aragua trafficking cell. The investigation led investigators to uncover a web of crime that involved both sexual exploitation and brutal violence, underscoring the desperate circumstances surrounding the trafficking victims.
Jorge Abatte, head of PDI’s National Headquarters of Crimes Against Persons, confirmed the arrests, stating that the detained citizens were actively involved in the murder of the young man on October 5. The motivation behind the murder was reportedly linked to the victim’s alleged romantic involvement with one of the trafficked women, which violated the gang’s strict rules. Sergio Soto, from the Organized Crime and Homicide Team of the Chilean Prosecutor’s Office, detailed how each of the detainees had participated in various stages of the crime, leading to the execution of the victim and the subsequent disposal of his remains.
Abatte revealed that the victim had not received authorization to engage in sexual activities with the trafficked women, leading to a lethal order from the gang—a stark representation of the severity of control and violence exerted by the traffickers. As investigations progressed, the PDI hinted at the possibility of additional arrests as they sought to dismantle the network further. This operation follows a previous crackdown in late April when a different Tren de Aragua human trafficking cell was dismantled, which had infiltrated Chile’s national police and operated within the capital with alarming effectiveness.
In that earlier case, authorities arrested 13 individuals who managed to exploit at least 100 victims around Plaza de Armas, the heart of Santiago. The gang’s operations were sophisticated, taking place in historical buildings where victims were subject to rigorous monitoring and control. These unfolding events shed light on a pervasive issue of human trafficking and organized crime in Chile, highlighting the urgent need for continued vigilance and stronger measures to protect vulnerable populations from such horrific exploitation. Through ongoing investigations and operations, Chilean authorities are working to confront this troubling reality and bring those responsible to justice.