Central America gang crackdown continues

In mid‑July, police forces in Guatemala and El Salvador announced a series of arrests targeting members of kidnapping and violent gangs, including the group “Los Depredadores” and an MS‑13 gunman. The Guatemalan police also warned of a post‑payment surge in petty theft and deployed additional security measures in commercial areas, while a separate raid uncovered a teenager with firearms and cocaine. A related complaint in Honduras alleged youth involvement in an assault.

By early August, El Salvador’s Police Nacional Civil continued the crackdown, detaining suspects in a homicide linked to a barroom dispute, a teenager identified with the 18 gang, and several youths caught with stolen cash, marijuana, methamphetamine and electronic devices. Additional arrests were made on drug‑trafficking charges, with authorities alleging cross‑border cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine movement from Guatemala. All detainees were slated for prosecution.

The effort persisted into 2026. On 5 August, El Salvador’s National Civil Police arrested two 17‑year‑old adolescents in Lourdes, La Libertad, accused of trying to establish a new criminal group. Officials said the youths were attempting to adopt a new name to evade detection, and the justice minister reiterated a zero‑tolerance stance toward any resurgence of gang activity. These actions illustrate an ongoing, coordinated campaign by Central American police to dismantle gang networks, curb related violent crime, and disrupt drug trafficking across the region.