Massive Police Operation Leads to Arrest of High-Profile Criminals in Puerto Rico
In a coordinated effort across 20 municipalities of Puerto Rico, the police have processed 60 arrest warrants after filing 231 charges in absentia against high-profile criminal subjects. The operation, aptly named “High Profile,” aimed to dismantle drug trafficking and the sale of illegal weapons on the island, ultimately resulting in the arrest of 51 men and 12 women.
Among the arrested are individuals with surprising backgrounds, such as model José Colls Irizarry, urban music performer George Claudio Texidor Merced, disc jockey Alejandro Candelaria, and Jeremy Frías, who is currently serving federal probation for carjacking.
Police Commissioner Antonio López Figueroa stressed that the individuals arrested are not drug addicts, but rather dedicated to the transfer and sale of illegal weapons to the underworld. About 25 of the defendants are high-profile drug and weapons traffickers who sold substances by the kilo and were linked to multiple murders, leading to an overall bail amount of $37 million.
The operation also led to the dismantling of the criminal organization La Familia del Cerro in Naranjito, which includes a family unit involved in continuous criminal activities in the area. The alleged leader, Miguel Antonio Figueroa Rodríguez, alias “Totem,” and his son-in-law José A. Torres Narváez, were released from prison last December by the FBI and subsequently arrested in the current operation.
In addition to this, the police managed to impact two other organizations involved in large-scale drug distribution and sales through social networks, with packaging bearing the logo of a well-known motor vehicle brand. The affected municipalities include San Juan, Bayamon, Carolina, Guaynabo, Dorado, Toa Alta and Baja, Canovanas, Caguas, and others.
The successful execution of Operation “High Profile” serves as a significant blow to criminal activity in Puerto Rico, as law enforcement continues to combat illegal drug and weapon trafficking on the island.