Tarapacá Prosecutor's Office honored for dismantling Tren de Aragua

The Tarapacá Regional Prosecutor's Office has been awarded the inaugural ‘Excelencia en la Persecución Penal 2026’ award for its role in dismantling the leadership of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua in Chile.

During the 27th anniversary celebrations of Chile's Public Ministry, National Prosecutor Ángel Valencia presented the distinction to Regional Prosecutor Virginia Aravena. The award recognizes a complex investigation that began in 2021 under the leadership of prosecutor Paola Apablaza. The multi-year operation concluded in 2025 with historic sentences totaling more than 300 years of imprisonment for the organization's top leaders.

Representatives from key investigative teams, including analyst Rafael Crisosto and officials from the PDI Iquique's Human Trafficking Investigation Brigade and the Anti-Narcotics Brigade, were also recognized during the ceremony held at the University of Chile.