Peru Arrests Mining Gang Suspect With 22 Grenades
SECURITY · PERU
Key Facts
- —The country Peru, one of the world’s big gold producers. La Pampa, in the Amazon region of Madre de Dios, is its best-known illegal mining zone.
- —Why it matters Armed gangs now fight police with rifles and grenades over gold that can be laundered into legal exports sold abroad.
- —Why now The arrest came two days after a shootout on the same highway killed a police officer and three suspects on Tuesday 6 October.
- —What happened Police detained Aldo Blas Sánchez Huamán, 30, alias “Leo”, at about 4 a.m. on Thursday 8 October near kilometre 108 of the Interoceanic Highway.
- —The numbers 22 grenades of 40 mm, one grenade launcher, a pistol, 197 rounds, a drone, mercury and S/73,800 (about US$21,400) in cash.
- —What it means for you Travellers to Puerto Maldonado use this highway. The violence is concentrated in the mining zone, not in the town or the lodges.
- —Still open No formal charges or court ruling had been reported by Sunday. No arrest of the alleged gang leader, alias “Brayan”, has been reported.
Peruvian police have arrested a man they describe as the second in command of an armed gang that controls illegal gold mining in Madre de Dios, in the Amazon. Officers say they found 22 war grenades and a grenade launcher in his pickup. For foreign readers, the case shows how far Peru’s illegal gold trade has armed itself, two days after a police officer was shot dead on the same road.
The suspect is Aldo Blas Sánchez Huamán, 30, known as alias “Leo”. He was detained at about 4 a.m. on Thursday 8 October, which was 5 a.m. in New York. The arrest took place near kilometre 108 of the Interoceanic Highway, in the Santa Rosa sector of Inambari district, according to the regional police chief, General Michael Flores Álamo, as quoted by the Peruvian news site Evidencia.
The Interior Ministry’s account, published on Saturday 10 October by the state newspaper El Peruano, calls him one of the leaders of “Los Sanguinarios de la Pampa”. Police say the group is dedicated to illegal mining and other crimes. He has not been convicted of anything and is presumed innocent.
How the Arrest Unfolded
According to El Peruano, officers spotted a pickup acting suspiciously on the stretch between kilometres 107 and 115. Two men got out and fired at the officers before running off. Police chased them and caught Sánchez Huamán. Three women who stayed inside the vehicle were then detained as well.
The ministry lists what was seized: 22 war grenades of 40 mm, a grenade launcher, a .45 calibre pistol and 197 rounds of different calibres. Officers also took five pistol magazines, 15 rifle magazines, five mobile phones and a drone with its control monitor. A bag of mercury, used to bind gold in small-scale mining, and S/73,800 (about US$21,400) in cash were also found. The dollar figure uses the Central Reserve Bank of Peru rate of S/3.453 per dollar on Wednesday 7 October.
The operation drew on work by the police intelligence directorate, Dirin, together with special forces and officers from the Santa Rosa station, Evidencia and Infobae reported. The suspect was first taken to the Santa Rosa police station, with prosecutors present. He was then handed to the police environmental directorate and moved to Puerto Maldonado, the regional capital, under guard.
Two Rival Gangs on One Road
Police say the Sanguinarios are led by Eneyser Fernández, alias “Brayan”, with Sánchez Huamán as his deputy, Infobae reported. The group is a rival of “Los Guardianes de la Trocha”, whose alleged leader is Edinson Fernández, alias “Chili”. Both are accused of extortion and of charging miners for “protection” in La Pampa.
The arrest followed a deadly clash nearby. Before dawn on Tuesday 6 October, police special forces came under fire at kilometre 115 of the highway during an operation against a gang tied to illegal mining. Non-commissioned officer Joel Ríos Coquinche was killed, and a second officer was gravely wounded. Three suspects died. Police recovered 15 rifles and a pistol, Infobae and Evidencia reported, citing the police and the Interior Ministry.
We covered that shootout in Peru Officer, 3 Suspects Killed in Amazon Mining Clash. Infobae also reported an audio message attributed to alias “Leo”, in which he suggested his gang had helped steer police towards alias “Chili”. That claim has not been independently confirmed.
The gang case also reaches the justice system. A former environmental prosecutor in Madre de Dios, Américo Bautista, was ordered held for 16 months in July 2026 while he is investigated. Prosecutors suspect he helped alias “Brayan”; he has not been convicted.
What It Means for You
For travellers, the Interoceanic Highway links Cusco with Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to the rainforest lodges of the Tambopata area. The shootouts and arrests reported this week happened in the La Pampa mining strip around kilometres 107 to 117, not in the town or at tourist lodges. Anyone driving the road should travel by day and follow local advice.
For investors and buyers of gold, the case is a reminder that illegal gold from this region can be mixed into legal export flows. Companies buying Peruvian gold face growing pressure to prove where it came from.
Politically, the government of President Keiko Fujimori is using the violence to press for tougher laws. Interior Minister César Astudillo told the Senate’s Constitution Committee this week that current rules allow unlimited numbers of some hunting, sport and collectors’ weapons. He linked such weapons to the La Pampa clashes, broadcaster Canal N reported. The government has asked Congress for powers to legislate on crime. It is also building a joint command of the army and police, covered in Peru Merges Army and Police Against Crime.
What Is Not Known
No formal charges against Sánchez Huamán or the three women had been made public by Sunday 11 October. A judge has not yet ruled on whether he stays in custody. It is also not known whether the grenades came from military stocks, or how the gang obtained them.
Reports differ on small details, including how many people were in the pickup. The two men who fled have not been publicly identified, and no arrest of alias “Brayan” or alias “Chili” has been reported. The arrest removes weapons from one gang. Whether it reduces violence on the highway will depend on what happens to the rest of both groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is alias Leo?
Police identify him as Aldo Blas Sánchez Huamán, 30, the alleged deputy of the Sanguinarios de la Pampa gang in Madre de Dios. He was detained on 8 October and has not been convicted.
What did police seize?
According to the Interior Ministry, 22 war grenades, a grenade launcher, a pistol, 197 rounds, magazines, phones, a drone, mercury and S/73,800 (about US$21,400) in cash.
Is it safe to visit Puerto Maldonado?
The recent violence is concentrated in the La Pampa mining strip along the highway, not in the town or the rainforest lodges. Travel by day and follow local advice.
Sources: El Peruano, Interior Ministry account, 10 October 2026; Evidencia, 9 October 2026; Infobae Peru, 8 October 2026; Evidencia on the Interior Ministry statement, 7 October 2026; Canal N, 10 October 2026; Central Reserve Bank of Peru exchange rate series.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief