Spanish
Colombian police captured eight alleged members of the 'La 57' gang in Bogotá and the neighboring municipality of Soacha, accused of offering sexual services in bars and dating apps and then drugging and robbing their victims, the Mayor's Office reported this Monday.
"This is a resounding outcome against gangs dedicated to the so-called 'millionaire's ride,' which in legal terms corresponds to the crime of extortionate kidnapping," stated the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, in a statement.
The so-called 'millionaire's ride' consists of taking victims on tours of ATMs and commercial establishments to force them to withdraw money or pay with their cards.
According to the authorities, the organization operated in the Bogota neighborhoods of Chapinero and Teusaquillo. There, they selected potential victims in bars or dating apps and, through deception, induced them to consume adulterated liquor or liquor mixed with other substances to leave them in a state of defenselessness.
Then they were stripped of their belongings, forced to hand over bank keys and, in some cases, physically assaulted, explained the commander of the Metropolitan Police, General Giovanni Cristancho.
The group then made purchases at commercial establishments and requested millionaire loans from the victims' applications. Under this modality, the investigation attributes at least ten robberies to them.
Among those captured is the alleged leader of 'La 57', alias El Costeño; the person in charge of withdrawing money from bank accounts and making fraudulent purchases, alias Martínez; and a man who, under the guise of a waiter, profiled the victims and physically assaulted them, alias Piña.
Also responsible for attracting victims with low-cost liquor, alias Jean Pierre; and three people in charge of contacting men through dating apps, alias La Flaca, Asmira, and Maria.
The detainees were charged with aggravated qualified theft, extortionate kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit a crime. In addition, according to the authorities, they have a criminal record for homicide and threats to witnesses, among other crimes.
