Global Courant
Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
The Prosecutor Team Against Drug Microtrafficking and the Technical Criminal Investigation Agency (ATIC), in joint proceedings with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)carry out the “Athena” operation in four departments of the country with the aim of counteracting money laundering from the United States.
The operation derives from the capture carried out on December 6, 2022 in Austin, Texasby the FBI against Carlos Humberto Lara Martinezaka “Kuki”, indicted on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms by a person with illegal status in the US.
On the day of his arrest, assets worth more than $200,000 were confiscated, including 8.6 kilos of methamphetamine and 1.5 kilos of cocaine, among others.
work together
Thanks to the memorandum signed between the Public Ministry and the FBI, these actions are carried out to combat the illegal activities carried out by maras and transnational gangs between Honduras and the United States.
Thus, with the exchange of information between CAT agents and the FBI, it was detected that in Honduras members of his family were associated with the purpose of making money or assets obtained illegally abroad appear legitimate. and move away from their criminal origin and causing damage to the economy of the State of Honduras of more than 40.8 million lempiras, money from remittances.
Of these illegal activities, 11 real estate, seven vehicles, two commercial companies and 29 financial products were identified, obtained illegally and with which they increased their assets without justification, for which insurance and freezing measures will be exercised.
The crimes charged to alias “Kuki” and members of his family nucleus are money laundering, criminal association and homicide in its degree of attempted execution.
This last accusation arose after trying to kill a citizen on November 5, 2020 in Residential Plaza Tegucigalpa. According to ATIC agents for crimes against life, the attack was planned by Carlos Humberto Lara Martínez and carried out by his relatives.
Operation “Athena” is taking place in Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán; Comayagua and Siguatepeque; San Pedro Sula, Cortés and Tela, Atlántida, cities where this criminal organization operates, also linked to the salvatrucha gang ms-13.
The criminal case against these people was filed in the court with national jurisdiction, so the captured people will be sent to the capital by agents of strategic support, special operations and ATIC communications.
