Peru: ex-director of the Police Arrested For Selling Babies

In Peru, on Tuesday, authorities caught a band that was labeled as "heartless human trafficking." Former General Director of the Peruvian National Police (PNP), Raul Becerra Velarde, was arrested alongside his partner, for allegedly belonging to a criminal organization in charge of trafficking babies.

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The Public Ministry of Peru (Office of the prosecutor) stated on Tuesday that a human trafficking and sale of babies network was dismantled. In Arequipa, on the southern region of Peru Becerra and his partner, Cintia Tello, were arrested for leading a criminal organization that was capturing pregnant women in vulnerable situations and convincing them to hand over their babies.

General Walter Ortiz, head of the IX Macro South Region of the Police, said that this organization, in addition to the trafficking of minors, also engaged in the trafficking of children's organs.

"Prosecutor Rosmery Mendoza Palomino reports the rescue of a 5-month-old baby and the arrest of 14 people in an operation led by #Arequipa by the Public Ministry, which allowed the dismantling of a #Criminal Organization dedicated to the sale of minors."

Peruvian Public Prosecutor's Office announced that during the operation 18 raids were carried out to dismantle the network, known as "Heartless Human Traffickers," a 5-month-old baby was rescued and about 14 people were arrested, including a gynecologist and a pediatrician.

The organization had as a strategy convincing women who wanted to abort not to do so and to continue the pregnancy. An economic compensation would be given to them in exchange for the commitment that after giving birth the traffickers would receive the children, who were then sold. According to local media El Comercio, the newborns were sold for around U$D1,200.

Becerra became head of Peru's national police force in November 2010, during the government of former president Alan Garcia. He served for about a year and was replaced in October 2011, after a subordinate accused him of sexual harassment, according to local newspaper El Comercio. Becerra denied the sexual harassment accusations.