Security Minister Martín Arrau launched a massive new police operation this Friday, mobilizing 5,546 officers from the Carabineros and the Investigative Police (PDI) across Chile's 16 regions. The operation, which kicked off at 8:00 p.m. from Paseo Bulnes in Santiago, aims to ramp up the enforcement of outstanding arrest warrants, conduct immigration checks, and catch criminals in the act.
The operation was attended by top officials, including Carabineros General Director Marcelo Araya, PDI Director General Eduardo Cerna, and Metropolitan Presidential Delegate Germán Codina. According to La Tercera, this marks the eighth such deployment under the current administration, continuing a strategy of mass sweeps initiated by previous governments.
A shift toward constant frequency
Responsibilities were divided based on each institution's expertise: the PDI focused on key locations for immigration control and tracking down fugitives, while the Carabineros increased their presence in commercial districts, nightlife areas, and high-crime neighborhoods, as reported by BioBioChile. The deployment included preventive identity checks and vehicle inspections in public spaces prone to criminal activity.
Minister Arrau indicated that the frequency of these interventions will increase significantly in the coming days. "We are going to conduct these types of operations almost daily. The police and the Gendarmería de Chile are carrying out high-intensity operations every single day," the minister stated after the launch of the operation.
Regarding the prison system, Arrau announced that the government is preparing a strategy to regain full control of correctional facilities. "I mean full control when we reach the point where there are no cell phones or weapons in the prisons, and that involves a very comprehensive plan that we will be announcing in a few days," the minister told BioBioChile.
The deployment follows a week of intensive sweeps at metro stations and raids at the former Penitentiary, marking the initial tone of Arrau’s tenure at the Ministry of Security. Authorities are expected to provide an official report on the number of arrests and the results of the operation later this Saturday.
