They arrest alleged members of the Aragua Train in Bogotá

Officials of the Cundinamarca Military Gaula, in Colombia, detained two alleged members of the criminal gang the Aragua Trainwho were dedicated to the crime of extortion of merchants in the south of Bogotá.

The authorities managed to establish that these criminals asked the sellers to give an initial payment of eight million pesos, and then continue paying monthly the sum of one million pesosand prevent them from being victims of attacks.

«Within the framework of the Ayacucho plan, the capture of two alleged members of the Aragua Train was achieved, who through the modality of extortion intimidating his victims“, making them permanent harassment through telephone calls to let them work and not threaten their lives,” said the commander of the Military Gaula of Cundinamarca, Colonel Óscar Reyes, as reported. Infobae.

Through constant threats they sought to psychologically affect the victims through threats and part of the demand that these men made was telling them that if they did not comply with the extortion they would use explosive devices such as grenades to explode their premises.

1,391 cases of extortion

So far in 2024, authorities have made around 100 arrests for the crime of extortion in Bogotá and the department of Cundinamarca.

Between January and July 2024, 1,391 cases of extortion have been reportedaccording to Bogotá councilor Julián Uscátegui. One of the situations with the greatest increase is the type of extortion to return any property that has been stolen with an increase of 239%.

There was also an increase of 122% in the form of cyber extortion with 251 cases presented compared to 113 last year, and finally, the exposure of personal and intimate material occupies third place with an increase of 98% with 125 compared to 63 in 2023.