National police forces in Piura, Peru, have arrested five suspected members of the transnational criminal organization known as Tren de Aragua in connection with an aggravated extortion scheme targeting a local business owner.
According to official reports from regional law enforcement, the suspects were demanding ongoing payments between S/ 200 and S/ 300 soles from a merchant under threat of intimidation. The operation unfolded across two distinct interventions following tactical surveillance.
During the initial phase of the operation, police intercepted a Mitsubishi Lancer vehicle occupied by three individuals. A search of the vehicle yielded significant weaponry and tactical material, including:
- Two dynamite cartridges equipped with functional safety fuses
- Five live firearm ammunition rounds
- Multiple cellular communication devices
Following statements and preliminary findings from the vehicle stop, officers raided a residential property located in the Nueva Esperanza neighborhood. At this second location, authorities detained two additional suspects and recovered a Taurus brand firearm alongside additional mobile devices used to facilitate communications.
The detained individuals were identified by law enforcement as Marieles Carolina Rangel (37), Wendy Verónica Sánchez Hernández (46), Alexander Jovver Berroterán Sánchez (25), Joseph Michael Coronel Baptista (34), and Vivianys Paola Hurtado Cisneros.
"All five individuals have been formally transferred to the specialized Kidnapping and Extortion Section of the Divincri Piura to carry out the corresponding legal procedures under judicial oversight."
The investigation remains ongoing under regional authorities as law enforcement works to determine whether the seized devices and explosives are linked to other recent extortion complaints reported across Piura state.
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