El Salvador judges 28 gang members to up to 1,048‑year prison terms
A Salvadoran court sentenced 28 alleged members of the El Gremio gang to prison terms of up to 1,048 years, with two receiving the maximum term and a third receiving 1,038 years. The convictions cover drug trafficking, money‑laundering and gang formation and are part of President Nayib Bukele’s “war on gangs,” which has already placed more than 90,000 people in high‑security prisons.
In Ecuador, the “Gran Fénix 050” operation concluded after 17 months of investigation, executing 19 simultaneous raids in Esmeraldas, Manabí and Tungurahua. Police captured 12 suspects, including an active‑duty officer, and seized weapons, cash and communications equipment.
Liberia’s authorities incinerated 4.2 metric tonnes of cocaine worth roughly $336 million, the largest seizure in the country’s history, and President Joseph Boakai dismissed 12 senior officials from the airport authority, police and national security agencies in response.
The Salvadoran navy intercepted a 1,362‑kg cocaine shipment 1,000 nautical miles off its Pacific coast, valuing the haul at $34 million and arresting two Ecuadorian nationals.
A Spanish wastewater analysis found that 42 % of cocaine samples were adulterated, most commonly with the antiparasitic drug levamisole. Separate reports note a surge in cocaine “fardos” arriving on Spain’s western coast as traffickers shift routes.
Ecuador and the European Union launched the “Alerta Anónima” platform, allowing anonymous reporting of suspected drug‑related activity in ports to strengthen security and prevent future trafficking.
Entities: Alerta Anónima · Attorney General's Office of El Salvador · El Gremio · El Gremio gang · El Salvador · Fiscalía General de la República · Gran Fénix 050 · Joseph Boakai · MS‑13 · Mara Salvatrucha (MS‑13) · Nayib Bukele · Santa Ana
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] One defendant received a sentence of 1,038 years. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The convicted were charged with drug trafficking, money laundering and formation of a criminal organization. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The sentences are part of President Nayib Bukele's 'war on gangs' campaign launched in 2022. (All three articles)
- [● 5 SOURCES] A Salvadoran court sentenced 28 alleged members of the El Gremio gang to prison terms of up to 1,048 years. (fa5ec610-2434-4546-bbe3-d6bfd834f767, c47165e0-d7a3-4272-8604-94e9b35be142, a4793df6-ce26-404a-9527-5ed02a47e239, 89b53d)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Over 90,000 people are currently held in high‑security prisons in El Salvador. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] A mass trial of 485 alleged MS‑13 members concluded on 15 July, with prosecutors seeking similarly large sentences. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Two defendants received sentences of 1,048 years each. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] In December 2025, a Salvadoran court sentenced 248 MS‑13 members to up to 1,335 years for murders and forced disappearances. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The sentencing is part of President Nayib Bukele's 'war on gangs' launched in 2022. (fa5ec610-2434-4546-bbe3-d6bfd834f767, a4793df6-ce26-404a-9527-5ed02a47e239, 4d688279-3d2a-4d03-ade4-3a1027d4b349)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The defendants were charged with drug trafficking, money laundering and gang formation. (fa5ec610-2434-4546-bbe3-d6bfd834f767, a4793df6-ce26-404a-9527-5ed02a47e239, 4d688279-3d2a-4d03-ade4-3a1027d4b349)
- [● 3 SOURCES] A Salvadoran court sentenced 28 alleged members of the gang El Gremio to prison terms of up to 1,048 years. (fa5ec610-2434-4546-bbe3-d6bfd834f767, a4793df6-ce26-404a-9527-5ed02a47e239, 4d688279-3d2a-4d03-ade4-3a1027d4b349)
- [● 3 SOURCES] More than 90,000 people are currently held in high‑security prisons in El Salvador. (fa5ec610-2434-4546-bbe3-d6bfd834f767, a4793df6-ce26-404a-9527-5ed02a47e239, 4d688279-3d2a-4d03-ade4-3a1027d4b349)