Simultaneously in La Ceiba, Roatan, and San Pedro Sula, homes properties and other items, estimated at a worth between 300-500 million lempiras, were seized and impounded. Authorities say these items were obtained through illicit activities including money laundering and narco-trafficking.

Regarding the residences in question, all together are valued at over 100 million lempiras, and a total of over 50 million lempiras have been found inside the homes. Four of the residences that were seized were located in the neighborhoods of Jardines del Valle (2), La Foresta, and Villas Seran in San Pedro Sula; three more in La Ceiba, in the neighborhoods of El Toronjal, Jardines del Este, and a beach house located in the Satuye community; and five properties on the bay island of Roatan. Seventeen fishing boats belonging to BJS Shipping, Pecasa, and Seafood Price, were also confiscated from Roatan.

The Honduras Minister of Defense, Marlon Pascua, stated, “There is a large quantity of homes, businesses, and lots of items. It is the largest operation that has been realized in Honduras. When we have more facts and information to be released, we will let you know. This is a very large hit; it is the largest ever made up to this moment in our country.”

According to the Minister, there are still operations being conducted, and he therefore denied to comment further or provide more information, so as not to alert those involved. The Minister attempted to avoid the question of whether any politicians were fingered in the sting, saying that he cannot assure that there are any politicians involved; but also stated that he cannot assure that there are not. He did mention that if there were political figures involved in this, he would be the first person to demand them arrested. He indicated there possibly were foreigners involved, but said he would say no more because he did not want to impede the investigation.

In the unfolding action this Monday, there is joint participation by members of the public district attorney’s office, the Drug Enforcement Agency of Honduras, the Army, and the National Police. Also participating in this operation are the district attorney against narco-trafficking and the district attorney’s special office in charge of the privatization of assets.

According to the report, this is the first action since June of last year that has applied the law allowing the government to overtake assets generated by illegal acts.

Pascua added that this is the second phase of the operation, and they expect to continue with this phase, because there will possibly be more assets which are the property of these people. There were Honduras DEA agents and anti drug dogs covering every home that was impounded. The Minister of Defense himself personally visted each of the homes today.

At the moment, there have been no names released of any of the people investigated, except for a sailor, Carlos Alberto Lobo. He is said to have owned all of the seized homes in San Pedro Sula. There are also two women being investigated, whose three bank accounts were frozen; they contained more than one million lempiras. One of the women is an ex-employee of a merchant marine. A hotel was inspected, applying probable cause, as it was believed that Colombian citizens staying at the hotel were possibly involved in narco-trafficking.

According to reports by the institutions who participated, the privatization of assets is against the business person Carlos Alberto Lobo; which, according to the Public Defenders Office, is the sailor who began to work with one of the businesses in Roatan, which is where the illicit activities began.