COLOMBIA SECURITY FORCES STRIKE MAJOR BLOW AGAINST CONQUISTADORAS DE LA SIERRA NEVADA IN SANTA MARTA

SANTA MARTA, Magdalena, Colombia — In a significant blow to organized crime in the Caribbean region, the President of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, alongside the Minister of Defense, arrived in Santa Marta to review the outcomes of a major joint military and police offensive. The operation, executed by the National Police of Colombia in close coordination with the Colombian Aerospace Force and the Office of the Attorney General, targeted the criminal structure known as the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada (ACSN).

The coordinated actions in the rural sector of Santa Marta resulted in the neutralization of seven criminal operatives and the capture of three additional suspects. Among those neutralized was the individual known by the alias 'Cholo', identified by authorities as the second-in-command and financial head of the ACSN. According to security reports, 'Cholo' possessed a criminal trajectory spanning over 15 years, during which he allegedly directed regional drug trafficking networks, extortion rings, and illegal economic controls.

During an onsite inspection of the recovered assets, the nation's leadership verified a substantial cache of seized weaponry and tactical equipment. Officials noted that the operation significantly degraded the group's logistical and operational capabilities across the departments of Magdalena, Cesar, and La Guajira.

The seized inventory includes:

• 10 high-powered rifles, including a specialized .50 caliber Barrett rifle
• 3 grenade launchers
• 2 handguns
• 1 hand grenade
• 11 pieces of 40mm ammunition grenades
• More than 3,500 cartridges of various calibers
• Military-grade tactical gear and logistics supplies

Security analysts pointed out that dismantling this core faction severely limits the criminal group's command and financial structures. Authorities reiterated their commitment to maintaining regional stability and dismantling illicit economies throughout the Caribbean coastal zone.