Medellín Security Sweep Led by De La Espriella Nets 135 Arrests

El miedo cambió de bando, declared Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella following a massive overnight security sweep across Medellín and the wider Antioquia department that led to 135 arrests, according to El Colombiano. Among those detained during the predawn raids on October 27, 2026, were the son and stepson of former Colombian national football team star Iván René Valenciano, local authorities reported.

Mega-Operation in Medellín Nets Over One Hundred Arrests

The security sweep began late on the night of Monday, October 26, and ran through the early hours of Tuesday, October 27, 2026. President De La Espriella traveled to Medellín to lead the deployment alongside Medellín Federico Gutiérrez and Antioquia Andrés Julián Rendón. The actions were coordinated with the National Police, the military, the Attorney General’s Office, the Mayor’s Office of Medellín, and the Governor’s Office of Antioquia. By 6:30 a.m. local time, with roughly 85 percent of operational data processed, the government reported 153 raids, 135 total arrests, and 98 expulsions. Officials confirmed that 54 suspects were caught in flagrante delicto, 66 were arrested via judicial warrants, 11 were foreign nationals, and four were classified as additional apprehensions.

The multi-agency intervention involved the National Police, the military, the Attorney General’s Office, and local municipal authorities. According to Zona Cero, the sweep also resulted in the death of a suspected insurgent leader identified as alias ‘Primo Sangre’, described by the presidency as a second-in-command within the 36th Front of FARC dissident factions in Antioquia, who was killed by police forces after offering resistance during the operation in the San Cristóbal district. 1 narcoterrorista dado de baja, alias “Primo Sangre”, segundo cabecilla de las disidencias del Frente 36 de las Farc en Antioquia, quien fue abatido por nuestra Policía Nacional al oponer resistencia durante el operativo! the presidency proclaimed regarding the incident.

Football Icon’s Relatives Implicated in Organized Crime Ring

Investigators from the National Police’s Sijín unit confirmed that Jacobo de Jesús Valenciano Yepes—known by the alias ‘Valenciano’—and Eddy Santiago Cuadros Yepes, known as ‘Risas’, were taken into custody during a raid in the Villa Hermosa neighborhood. The two young men are the son and stepson, respectively, of Iván René Valenciano, widely remembered as ‘El Bombardero’ and one of the most prolific goalscorers in Colombian football history.

Police reports place the suspects within an organized common delinquency group known as ‘La Roja’. Authorities stated that the gang targeted tourists and residents in high-traffic zones such as Provenza, the Pueblito Paisa, and the Olaya Herrera and José María Córdova airports. Court files indicate the group was linked to at least 12 distinct robbery cases involving stolen goods valued at upwards of 1 billion pesos. During the raids targeting ‘La Roja’, officers seized firearms, ammunition, watches, and dozens of chains and bracelets allegedly stolen over the past two years.

Prior Run-Ins with the Law and Judicial Precedent

For the younger Valenciano, the October 2026 arrest marks a second major brush with urban security forces. Records from the Metropolitan Police of the Aburrá Valley show that alias ‘Valenciano’ was previously captured in flagrante delicto in June 2024. In that incident, prosecutors charged him with aggravated robbery, document forgery, and weapons trafficking after he allegedly robbed a citizen inside a commercial establishment in the Belén district while brandishing a firearm. A local guarantee judge subsequently ordered house arrest pending trial.

Alongside the Valenciano arrests, the broader operation netted substantial contraband, including 40 kilograms of cocaine, over six kilograms of coca base, nearly 20 kilograms of marihuana, and 5.8 kilograms of synthetic drugs, alongside more than 700 million Colombian pesos and 25,000 euros in cash. Additional seizures logged across the sweep included 10 firearms—consisting of a rifle, seven pistols, and a revolver—along with five traumatic weapons, 59 cell phones, and seven communication radios.

Confrontations and Public Statements on Urban Security

The high-visibility nature of the operation drew intense media coverage, heightened by President De La Espriella’s direct engagement with detainees at processing sites. In a video broadcast by Semana, the head of state confronted a suspect accused of running a human trafficking ring that lured women into forced sex work. When the detainee shook his head and muttered denials, stating Para nada in response, the president countered sharply, telling him he would soon see the judicial outcome with the remark, Bueno, vas a ver cómo termina este proceso, before concluding the confrontation by telling him, Bienvenido a la Patria Milagro, Zapata.

Meanwhile, regional reporting from Caracol Radio noted discrepancies regarding the exact rank of the deceased insurgent leader ‘Primo Sangre’, citing local sources who indicated he operated as a commission chief under the 36th Front rather than second-in-command, and operated under the orders of alias ‘Pimpón’, a member of the illegal group’s general staff with influence in Campamento and Guadalupe who reportedly sought to reinforce the 34th Front in Carmen de Atrato. As judicial authorities continue processing the remaining 15 percent of the operational data from the Medellín sweep, prosecutors prepare formal charges for those detained in Villa Hermosa and across Antioquia.