Peru takes down over 60 criminal gangs under state of emergency

Lima: Peruvian President Dina Boluarte announced that the government has successfully dismantled over 60 criminal gangs in at least 14 districts of Lima and Callao under the state of emergency declared in September.

"During the state of emergency in Lima and Callao, more than 180 wanted individuals (under prosecution) have been captured, and we have taken down over 60 criminal gangs," Boluarte noted on Friday. "I know this situation is not easy, it's complicated, but we will win this battle."

"Their days are numbered ... We will have no mercy for those who shed the blood of our compatriots," she said. "We will not yield an inch to vile criminality."

She highlighted that to combat crime in Peru, which has been hit hard by a rising wave of extortion, the government is implementing the "Safe Peru Plan," along with actions such as "Safe Dawn," "Safe Return," and the "Genesis Plan."

The Ministry of the Interior recently reported that during the state of emergency in Lima and Callao, the National Police of Peru captured at least 1,248 criminals and seized over 369 cell phones, Xinhua news agency reported.

Of all the detained individuals, over 80 are involved in extortion, marking a "precise strike against crime," while 763 were arrested for theft, 379 for robbery, and 15 for homicide, among other crimes.