'Donatelos' Dismantled: Micro-Trafficking Network That Plagued the Municipality of Socorro Falls

NewsThe structure, which facilitated the sale of drugs through home delivery and at two fixed points in the town, was dismantled in an operation. Los Donatelos Photo: Santander PoliceJOURNALIST30.09.2026 17:31 Updated: 30.09.2026 17:31 In a forceful offensive against micro-trafficking in Santander, the National Police, in coordinated work between the Criminal Investigation Section (SIJÍN), the Police Intelligence Section (SIPOL), and the 1st Sectional Prosecutor's Office of Socorro, dismantled the Organized Common Criminal Group (GDCO) known as 'Los Donatelos'. During the operation, five search and seizure warrants were executed simultaneously in the urban area of the municipality, resulting in the arrest of nine people: seven by court order and two more caught in flagrante delicto, all prosecuted for the crime of trafficking, manufacturing, or carrying drugs. Los Donatelos Photo: Santander PoliceAccording to the investigations, the criminal structure operated through two methods: home distribution in urban and rural areas of Socorro, and direct sale at two fixed points that were fully identified and intervened by law enforcement. During the proceedings, officers seized more than 25 doses of bazuco, more than 50 doses of marijuana, two digital scales, and four tools used for weighing, packaging, and dosing the hallucinogens. After being presented before a Guarantees Judge, detention measures in a prison facility were imposed on the nine detainees. Colonel Luis Fernando Atuesta Zárate, commander of the Santander Police, highlighted the impact of the operation. "We dealt a forceful blow to the micro-trafficking networks in the department. With the capture of these nine members and the disruption of two fixed drug points, we are returning peace of mind to the community. We will not rest until we completely dismantle the structures that seek to poison our youth." YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN:#ElTiempo #NoticiasColombia #ÚltimaHora SUBSCRIBE Photo: Follow all the news from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. EL TIEMPO NEWSLETTERSSign up for our newsletters and receive news in your email based on your interests. Stay informed about what really matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWSFollow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Always stay up to date with the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPPJoin the El Tiempo channel on WhatsApp to stay up to date with the most relevant news as it happens. EL TIEMPO APPStay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL EDITIONReliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content without limits.