The operation began at 6:00 am in the east area of La Ceiba. A contingent of members of the National Directorate of Criminal Investigation (Dirección Nacional de Investigación Criminal – DNIC), the Preventive Police and the Cobras Special Squad surrounded the perimeter of a house.

Seeing themselves surrounded, the individuals inside demanded the presence of a priest to mediate their surrender to the authorities. Rene Pineda Flores, Priest of the parish in San Isidro of La Ceiba heeded the call, and spoke with the gang members, who after one hour, surrendered to the police without a single shot being fired.

Inside the suspects house, Honduras police found a powerful arsenal that included: four AK-47s, a mini Uzi, an M-16 rifle and an SS rifle with telescopic sight with a 100 round magazine. In addition, the detainees had nine police bulletproof vests and three vehicles, one of them belonging to the Catholic Church in Valle de Angeles that was reported stolen.

The 12 alleged gang members were taken to the courts under heavy police presence where their case is being reviewed.

“There is enough evidence for a good case, so I don’t think they will be released, as they had in their possession a large quantity of weapons,” said Deputy Commissioner Rolando Murillo Paz, Police Chief of the Atlantida department.