Former Prosecutor Gajardo Calls for Bank Secrecy Reform After Aragua Train’s Banking Cell Bust in Chile

Original article: Exfiscal Gajardo tras caída de «célula bancaria» del Tren de Aragua en Chile: «Si queremos combatir en serio el crimen organizado hay que flexibilizar el secreto bancario» In the wake of the dismantling of the «banking cell» linked to the Aragua Train during the so-called «Operation Tokyo,» former prosecutor Carlos Gajardo emphasized the urgent need for Chile to reform its bank secrecy laws. «If we truly want to combat organized crime, we must relax bank secrecy, particularly in the pre-investigation phase handled by the UAF (Financial Analysis Unit),» Gajardo stated on his X social media account. He further added, «In this case, if a woman’s phone related to the Lampa multiple murder hadn’t been accessed, we would have never learned about this.» Echoing this sentiment, national prosecutor Ángel Valencia spoke with Radio ADN, asserting that «from a common-sense perspective, it would be easier to investigate these crimes if we could review their accounts without judicial authorization.» Valencia also noted the importance of addressing larger groups of individuals, recalling how law enforcement, prosecutors, and legal systems worldwide previously faced criticism for only targeting the lower tiers of criminal organizations. Operation Tokyo On Tuesday, June 2, the Organized Crime Brigade of the Police Investigations Corps conducted «Operation Tokyo,» part of a probe initiated in 2024 following a quintuple homicide in Lampa. During the operation, police discovered the phone of a suspect linked to the Aragua Train, which contained contact information for a Santander Bank executive, along with substantial evidence of illicit financial activities.

As a result of the operation—which led to twenty arrests—the mentioned executive was also apprehended, identified as the alleged facilitator of money laundering associated with crimes committed by the Aragua Train. The individual, named José Carlos Pérez Asencio, a Venezuelan national, was arrested during a raid conducted by the PDI at the Santander Bank branch located at Agustinas and Miraflores in downtown Santiago, where he had worked for six years. Preliminary reports indicate that «Operation Tokyo» uncovered illegal money transfers exceeding 78 billion pesos to other countries, funds believed to stem from criminal activities associated with the Aragua Train in Chile, including human trafficking for sexual exploitation, extortion of local businesses in the Bellavista area, vehicle smuggling, and drug trafficking. Metropolitan regional prosecutor Héctor Barros elaborated that the money was sent abroad through cryptocurrency companies, calling it «one of the largest money laundering operations we have seen in Chile.» Breaking News