In a violent confrontation on Monday, a police officer and 11 inmates lost their lives during an operation to transfer a notorious drug trafficker, Javier Rotela, who controlled a section of Tacumbu prison in Paraguay.
Rotela, living comfortably in a part of the prison known as “The Jungle,” operated a small supermarket there with his pregnant wife and three pit bulls, revealed police commissioner Nimio Cardozo.
More than 2,200 police and soldiers participated in the unprecedented operation to apprehend Rotela, located about 15 blocks from the center of the capital, Asuncion.
According to medical examiner Pablo Lemir, 11 inmates were killed during the operation, with most succumbing to gunshot wounds.
- Marvel Actor Jonathan Majors Found Guilty Of Assaulting Ex-Girlfriend
- Volcanic Eruption Hits Reykjanes Peninsula In Iceland
The inmates opened fire on the officers, resulting in the death of one officer who was shot in the head, and another is in intensive care with a bullet wound to the temple, as reported by Cardozo.
National police chief Carlos Benitez disclosed that an additional 36 officers and 24 prisoners sustained bullet wounds, with ongoing searches in the prison.
President Santiago Pena addressed the media, emphasizing the significance of the operation to create a safer country.
He denounced Tacumbu Prison’s historical role as a hub for criminal activities, planning assaults, and drug distribution.
Pena stated, “Today we say enough to… a penitentiary model that turned prisons into true schools of crime.”
Javier Rotela, leader of the “Rotela Clan,” is implicated in drug trafficking in Paraguay’s urban centers, with approximately 7,000 gang members under his command across various prisons, according to criminologist Juan Martens.
Automatic weapons were seized during the operation.
As a result of the clashes, around 700 bare-chested and handcuffed prisoners were transported to other facilities in army and police buses.
Tacumbu prison, which is designed for 1,500 inmates, has faced multiple riots under Rotela’s influence.
In October, inmates held 22 guards hostage for 15 hours, resulting in a riot that claimed one prisoner’s life.
Paraguay, with a population of 6.5 million, houses approximately 16,000 inmates in 18 prisons.
The country aims to address the challenges posed by criminal networks operating within its penitentiary system.
Deadly Earthquake Strikes Northwest China, Leaving Over 100 Dead
