The Honduran National Police have started 2011 with a cleanup campaign in several neighboring areas of the capital.  Eight people were arrested including four of the Mara 18 gang.

“Among those captured were Danis Alonso Ruiz, who had an arrest warrant for the crime of rape, Ena Gladys García Romero, who had an arrest warrant for forgery, Martha Oliva Cardona, a major drug dealer who seized 25 points of cocaine and 147 rocks of crack, and Jamileth Flores García who had two packages of marijuana,” said Oscar Álvarez, the Security Minister.

According to Minister Álvarez, they also captured four of the Mara 18 gang members who were collecting a “war tax”, including José Adán Castillo Molina, with a 38-caliber pistol, and three more gangsters who had a mini Uzi.  “With this operation we are making a blow to crime” he said.

“The early start is not only timely, but the catch is prevention, because we seek to deter the offenders who commit crimes … , ” said Álvarez.

The raids were made in several neighborhoods of the capital, including San José de la Vega, El Pedragal, Villanueva and La Esperanza.

Álvarez said this is the first raid of the year, and begins a series of operations in order to reduce criminal activity.

The Minister also announced that they are working in the first quarter on an operation with members of the DEA, the Southern Command of the United States, with the prosecution, and the Armed Forces of Honduras to find ways to close the drug trafficking gap.