Chilean police conduct massive operation resulting in over 1,300 arrests

Chilean authorities reported a massive police operation conducted under the Agenda against Organized Crime and Terrorism (ACOT), resulting in 1,341 detainees and the seizure of 862 kilograms of drugs. The operation, which included over 36,416 inspections, involved 656 arrests by Carabineros and 685 by the PDI.

Minister Martín Arrau emphasized that while the operation shows state coordination, fighting organized crime requires stronger tools to target criminal assets and intelligence. Subsecretary of Public Security Pilar Giannini added that increased police presence is vital for street safety.

Parallel to these enforcement actions, data indicates a significant rise in the national prison population. As of June, Gendarmería held 66,867 people in the closed subsystem, exceeding the designed capacity of 42,000. Analysts note that much of this growth comes from low-level offenders rather than criminal leaders, and that high levels of pretrial detention and overcrowding may inadvertently facilitate criminal training and extortion within the prison system.