Colombians, Chileans and Peruvians: what is known about the South American gangs involved in robberies during the Paris Olympics

South American criminal gangs carried out robberies of tourists during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, authorities warned in a confidential report.

This document devoted to his actions highlights, according to a source close to the case, the important proportion of arrests of citizens of Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia compared to the total during the Olympic Games.

These expert pickpockets, organized into gangs of three to five individuals formed by Men and women between 30 and 50 years oldhad as main targeting foreign tourists, in public transport and hotels.

The modus operandi of the gangs and their connections

The note, which details their modus operandi, describes these “associations” as “highly mobile and linked to international criminal organizations.” and specialized in “appropriation crimes,” according to this source.

Authorities suspect that some are linked to Chilean gangs associated with the criminal organization “International Spears”.

Its radius of action extends over Europe, Middle East and Canadathe source specifies, which describes them as “Crime tourists”.

Members of these organizations, who consider theft to be a “genuine profession”, transmit among themselves a “culture of theft abroad” and often have residence permits in Spain, a country they use as a gateway and rear base.

Because of their mobile nature, they are closely monitored by the international police organisations Europol and Interpol. France also anticipated its presence during the Olympic Games held between July 26 and August 11, in contact with their countries of origin, according to the source close to the case.

High-end robbery and convictions after the Champions League final

During the Olympic event, A dozen robberies could be attributed to one of these gangs, for example.including a camera valued at 15,000 euros (16,500 dollars) which served to promote diving events at the Olympic Aquatic Centre in Saint-Denis, north of Paris.

The investigation of this gang led to the arrest of Three men and a woman of Colombian nationalitytwo of them residents of Brazil, in early August in a home in the Seine Saint-Denis department rented through the Airbnb platform.

Investigators discovered laptops, jewellery, luxury watches, digital devices and even clothing bearing the slogan “Paris 2024” used by the criminals, as well as the stolen accreditation of a US athlete.

The same gangs responsible for the robberies at the Olympic Games had also been convicted of crimes at the Champions League final

The court sentenced them in mid-August to two years in prison, firm and banned them from travelling to France for 10 years at the end of his sentence.

Other South American gangs had false credentials and bracelets to access the venues and the Olympic Village, as well as false documentation. (press cards, identity documents,…)according to the note. For investigators, some of these passes were intended for resale.

Some of these organizations were active in the public transport and at the entrance and surroundings of hotelstargeting foreign tourists. Authorities arrested Ecuadorians, Chileans, Argentines and Cubans in different cases.

Some of the Colombians convicted in August were also present at the Champions League final in May 2022 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, sadly remembered for police action and robberies of tourists.

In July of that year, the French justice system sentenced three Peruvians to six to nine months in prison, with suspended sentences, for hiding stolen phones from fans. Following the Champions League final, the authorities received 80 complaints.