Guatemala police arrest suspected leader of ‘Los Taxistas del Viejo’ gang

Guatemalan National Civil Police have arrested Julio Valentín Monroy López, alias ‘El Viejo’, a suspected leader of the criminal organization ‘Los Taxistas del Viejo’. The 35-year-old was apprehended in a parking lot at a medical center in Guatemala City.

Authorities link Monroy to several serious crimes, including murder, conspiracy, and illicit association. The criminal group is known for using ‘pirate taxis’ to transport drugs and weapons, as well as to move members while committing crimes. The organization has been implicated in aggravated robberies of armored vehicles, drug trafficking, and contract killings.

Specifically, the group is tied to a September 1, 2025, robbery of a cash transport truck in western Guatemala that resulted in four deaths and the theft of approximately 990,000 quetzales. Monroy is also linked to attempted attacks against the mayor of San Pedro Necta. During his arrest, police seized a pistol, ammunition, and mobile phones.