Latest news with #GulfClan
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cartel accused of paying members $3,500 for "dead police officers"
Colombian authorities said Monday they had captured more than 200 members of the country's biggest drug cartel, which is accused of murdering two dozen security force members in the past month. The Gulf Clan was born out of the right-wing paramilitary groups that fought leftist guerrillas in the 1990s before turning their attention to the cocaine trade. President Gustavo Petro has accused the group, with which he suspended peace talks in early 2023, of devising a strategy to "systematically murder" members of the security forces. Armed forces chief Franciso Cubides told a news conference on Monday the security forces had responded by arresting 217 members of the clan since April 15. He added that 15 other suspected drug traffickers had been shot dead in raids that had netted 6.8 tons of drugs, 123 firearms and more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition. Sixteen police officers and five soldiers have been killed in attacks blamed on what Petro has called the Gulf Clan's "pistol plan." Cubides said the attacks were part of a "desperate response" by armed groups to the "overwhelming" setbacks they were suffering at the hands of the police and military in the north and west of the country. The cartel paid its members "between 10 and 15 million (Colombian pesos, between $2,300 and 3,500) for some dead police officers," Interior Minister Armando Benedetti told a weekly government cabinet meeting. Eight members of Colombia's Gulf Clan drug cartel were killed in clashes with security forces in April 2015, the army said. / Credit: Colombia Army The Gulf Clan, which engages in illegal gold mining, racketeering and migrant smuggling, is believed to number about 7,500 members, according to government estimates. The group's "primary source of income is from cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its paramilitary activities," according to the U.S. State Department. Last month, the police and the DEA killed a man dubbed "Chirimoya," one of the cartel's five commanders, as well as eight other members of the group. The Gulf Clan is one of several cartels recently designated as foreign terrorist groups by the United States. In 2022, the Gulf Clan shut down dozens of towns in northern Colombia for four days in reaction to its leader being extradited to the U.S. for trial. The arrests come as Colombia suffers its worst outburst of violence since the leftist FARC guerrilla army, one of the world's oldest rebel movements, signed a peace deal with the government in 2016. Benedetti admitted last month that Petro's strategy of pursuing "total peace" by engaging in dialogue with the country's various armed groups had not borne fruit. On Petro's watch, several armed groups, particularly the Gulf Clan, have grown stronger, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez admitted recently in an AFP interview. The rise of "Barstool Conservatism" Student loan borrower shares her story as collections resume for those in default Bessent says there could be substantial progress on China trade talks in coming weeks
CBS News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Colombia arrests over 200 suspected members of powerful cartel accused of paying recruits $3,500 for "dead police officers"
Colombian authorities said Monday they had captured more than 200 members of the country's biggest drug cartel, which is accused of murdering two dozen security force members in the past month. The Gulf Clan was born out of the right-wing paramilitary groups that fought leftist guerrillas in the 1990s before turning their attention to the cocaine trade. President Gustavo Petro has accused the group, with which he suspended peace talks in early 2023, of devising a strategy to "systematically murder" members of the security forces. Armed forces chief Franciso Cubides told a news conference on Monday the security forces had responded by arresting 217 members of the clan since April 15. He added that 15 other suspected drug traffickers had been shot dead in raids that had netted 6.8 tons of drugs, 123 firearms and more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition. Sixteen police officers and five soldiers have been killed in attacks blamed on what Petro has called the Gulf Clan's "pistol plan." Cubides said the attacks were part of a "desperate response" by armed groups to the "overwhelming" setbacks they were suffering at the hands of the police and military in the north and west of the country. The cartel paid its members "between 10 and 15 million (Colombian pesos, between $2,300 and 3,500) for some dead police officers," Interior Minister Armando Benedetti told a weekly government cabinet meeting. Eight members of Colombia's Gulf Clan drug cartel were killed in clashes with security forces in April 2015, the army said. Colombia Army The Gulf Clan, which engages in illegal gold mining, racketeering and migrant smuggling, is believed to number about 7,500 members, according to government estimates. The group's "primary source of income is from cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its paramilitary activities," according to the U.S. State Department. Last month, the police and the DEA killed a man dubbed "Chirimoya," one of the cartel's five commanders, as well as eight other members of the group. The Gulf Clan is one of several cartels recently designated as foreign terrorist groups by the United States. In 2022, the Gulf Clan shut down dozens of towns in northern Colombia for four days in reaction to its leader being extradited to the U.S. for trial. The arrests come as Colombia suffers its worst outburst of violence since the leftist FARC guerrilla army, one of the world's oldest rebel movements, signed a peace deal with the government in 2016. Benedetti admitted last month that Petro's strategy of pursuing "total peace" by engaging in dialogue with the country's various armed groups had not borne fruit. On Petro's watch, several armed groups, particularly the Gulf Clan, have grown stronger, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez admitted recently in an AFP interview.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Colombia arrests 217 suspected members of top drug cartel
ANI file photo BOGOTA: Colombian authorities said Monday they had captured more than 200 members of the country's biggest drug cartel, which is accused of murdering two dozen security force members in the past month. The Gulf Clan was born out of the right-wing paramilitary groups that fought leftist guerrillas in the 1990s before turning their attention to the cocaine trade. President Gustavo Petro has accused the group, with which he suspended peace talks in early 2023, of devising a strategy to "systematically murder" members of the security forces. Armed forces chief Franciso Cubides told a news conference on Monday the security forces had responded by arresting 217 members of the clan since April 15. He added that 15 other suspected drug traffickers had been shot dead in raids that had netted 6.8 tonnes of drugs, 123 firearms and more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition. Sixteen police officers and five soldiers have been killed in attacks blamed on what Petro has called the Gulf Clan's "pistol plan." Cubides said the attacks were part of a "desperate response" by armed groups to the "overwhelming" setbacks they were suffering at the hands of the police and military in the north and west of the country. The cartel paid its members "between 10 and 15 million (Colombian pesos, between $2,300 and 3,500) for some dead police officers," Interior Minister Armando Benedetti told a weekly government cabinet meeting. The Gulf Clan, which engages in illegal gold mining, racketeering and migrant smuggling, is believed to number about 7,500 members, according to government estimates. The arrests come as Colombia suffers its worst outburst of violence since the leftist FARC guerrilla army, one of the world's oldest rebel movements, signed a peace deal with the government in 2016. Benedetti admitted last month that Petro's strategy of pursuing "total peace" by engaging in dialogue with the country's various armed groups had not borne fruit. On Petro's watch, several armed groups, particularly the Gulf Clan, have grown stronger, Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez admitted recently in an AFP interview.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Targeted attacks on Colombian security forces leave 27 dead in two weeks
The Colombian government says 15 police officers and 12 soldiers have been killed over the past two weeks in targeted attacks it blames on armed groups. President Gustavo Petro accused the Gulf Clan criminal gang and other armed groups of targeting members of the security forces in revenge for the recent killing of several of their leaders. The government has offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of those behind the attacks. Petro was elected on a promise to bring "total peace" to Colombia, but on Friday his interior minister acknowledged that the strategy was "not going well", following the breakdown of talks with the Gulf Clan and several other armed groups. Petro published a list on X of the names of the 15 police officers and 12 soldiers which he said had been "systematically" killed since 15 April. According to the list, 10 of the police officers were murdered on duty, while five were killed off duty. Seven of the soldiers on the list all died in a single ambush on Sunday in Guaviare province. The army has blamed that attack on a dissident Farc rebel group. The Farc, short for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, signed a peace deal with the government in 2016 and most of its fighters laid down their arms. But a considerable number of Farc rebels who did not agree with the deal formed dissident groups which have continued to fight the security forces. In an effort to bring peace to Colombia, Petro's government held talks with some of these dissident groups, as well as with rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN), and members of the Gulf Clan criminal gang. But Petro suspended the talks with the ELN in January, accusing it of having "no will for peace". He also opted not to renew a ceasefire with a dissident Farc rebel group in April. Talks with the Gulf Clan also stalled after police launched an operation against the group's leader, known as "Chiquito Malo" (Spanish for "Bad Shorty"), in February. Chiquito Malo escaped unharmed, but days later another senior leader, known as "Terror", and his bodyguards were killed by police. The Colombian government says that the Gulf Clan ordered its members to kill on- and off-duty police officers and soldiers in revenge for these operations. Erasing Escobar: Will Colombia ban the sale of memorabilia of the drug lord? Rebel feud displaces more than 30,000 in northern Colombia
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Targeted attacks on Colombian security forces leave 27 dead in two weeks
The Colombian government says 15 police officers and 12 soldiers have been killed over the past two weeks in targeted attacks it blames on armed Gustavo Petro accused the Gulf Clan criminal gang and other armed groups of targeting members of the security forces in revenge for the recent killing of several of their government has offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of those behind the was elected on a promise to bring "total peace" to Colombia, but on Friday his interior minister acknowledged that the strategy was "not going well", following the breakdown of talks with the Gulf Clan and several other armed groups. Petro published a list on X of the names of the 15 police officers and 12 soldiers which he said had been "systematically" killed since 15 to the list, 10 of the police officers were murdered on duty, while five were killed off duty. Seven of the soldiers on the list all died in a single ambush on Sunday in Guaviare province. The army has blamed that attack on a dissident Farc rebel Farc, short for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, signed a peace deal with the government in 2016 and most of its fighters laid down their a considerable number of Farc rebels who did not agree with the deal formed dissident groups which have continued to fight the security forces. In an effort to bring peace to Colombia, Petro's government held talks with some of these dissident groups, as well as with rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN), and members of the Gulf Clan criminal Petro suspended the talks with the ELN in January, accusing it of having "no will for peace". He also opted not to renew a ceasefire with a dissident Farc rebel group in with the Gulf Clan also stalled after police launched an operation against the group's leader, known as "Chiquito Malo" (Spanish for "Bad Shorty"), in Malo escaped unharmed, but days later another senior leader, known as "Terror", and his bodyguards were killed by police. The Colombian government says that the Gulf Clan ordered its members to kill on- and off-duty police officers and soldiers in revenge for these operations.
