Drug dealer known as “El Gringo”, whose real name was Erwin Guido Toruño was found dead back on December 2017; almost one year later, the Costa Rican Judiciary Investigative Police (OIJ) confirms that the criminal group associated with this drug leader has been dismantled.

In total, 49 people were arrested in relation to this criminal group, out of which, 13 were detained during different raids the morning of this Monday, November 5, some of them in the community Libertad in Pavas, San Jose and others in Corredores in the south zone of the country.

According to Walter Espinoza, director of OIJ, the investigation regarding this criminal group began back in 2016, and even after the death of ‘El Gringo’, the operation continued running. This case of organized crime shows us how these criminal groups are operating. We have identified 56 people related to the organization, out of which 49 have already been detained”.

The criminal organization led by Toruño operated in the communities of San Ramón, Grecia and Palmares in Alajuela, as well as Asserí and the center of San José.

Espinoza also confirms that the group is linked to at least eight murders and had rivalries with the group led by Luis Angel Martinez Fajardo, a drug dealer known as “El Pollo” and who is incarcerated since 2015 in Nicaragua.

During today’s search the police seized several firearms, two kilograms of marijuana and approximately $12,500.00 USD in cash.

Among those pending to be detained are members of a drug dealing group in Corredores, south zone of the country, which is led by a 23 year-old woman of last names Gómez Espinoza.