The prosecution says that the gang converted Chilean pesos into cryptocurrencies to send them abroad.
Around 100 bank accounts were blocked as a result of this operation.
A joint operation between the Investigative Police (PDI) and the Chilean Prosecutor’s Office allowed the dismantling of a criminal network linked to the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua.
The group is accused of laundering more than 4,000 million Chilean pesos, equivalent to about 4 million dollars, using cryptocurrencies to move illicit capital abroad.
The deployment, called “Operation Hidden Heritage”, was carried out in the regions of Valparaíso, Coquimbo and the Metropolitan Region on Wednesday, April 22. The authorities confirmed the arrest of 22 people, mostly Venezuelan nationals, who allegedly managed funds from drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
According to reported the prefect of the PDI of Viña del Mar, Patricio Flores, the investigation lasted more than a year. The modus operandi consisted of smuggling illicit substances through the north of the country for later sale in various regions. The cash profits were deposited in bank accounts of third parties with regular immigration status, thus facilitating the financial flow within the traditional system.
Prosecutor José Uribe, from the Criminal Analysis and Investigative Focus Unit (SACFI), explained that the financial analysis covered more than 200 checking accounts. According to him, the funds accumulated in Chilean pesos were converted into cryptocurrencies to evade border and banking controls, allowing the resources to be sent to other countries expeditiously. Uribe, however, It did not clarify which cryptocurrencies were used to mobilize these funds.
As a result of the proceedings, the authorities proceeded to block 100 bank accounts and seize vehicles, smartphones, drugs and digital evidence in the raids carried out.
This financial blow is added to previous precedents from 2025, such as the “Tren del Mar” operation in Chile and similar captures in Colombia, both reported by CriptoNoticias, which shows a pattern in the use of cryptocurrencies to hide capital by this group.
The case highlights the evolution of criminal organizations towards more sophisticated financial management structures. For the Chilean authorities, this operation represents a milestone in the fight against organized crime by directly attacking their value mobilization capacity.
The detainees were brought to justice this Thursday, April 23, for their corresponding detention control and formalization of charges for money laundering and criminal association.