Police grab ‘most wanted’ Afghan gang member

Alberto Ríos Ortega, alias ‘Albertín’ was captured on the morning of November 10 in a search proceeding carried out by the National Police in the El Chumical sector in Arraiján.

​​’Albertín’ was a fugitive from justice and is accused of allegedly being a member of the Afghan criminal group that operated in El Chumical and was dismantled in April in Operation Afek, however, he was not apprehended at that time,  and became one of the most wanted for the crime of gang membership.

According to the information posted by the National Police on its Twitter account, during the search at the residence where “Albertín” was apprehended, alleged illicit substances that had been thrown down a drain in an unsuccessful attempt to dispose of them were seized.

‘Albertín’ is linked to the alleged commission of the crime Against Collective Security.

The National Police together with the Public Ministry carry out a strong strategy to dismantle the criminal groups that operate in West Panama, after a triple homicide in El Chumical in 2020, which was apparently linked to the La Joya prison massacre in 2019.