Argentine police killed two people and arrested nine others during a raid in the Fuerte Apache neighborhood of Buenos Aires on April 24, 2026 [1], [2].
The operation targeted criminal gangs engaged in a violent narco-war, where factions fight for control over drug trafficking and territory. This volatility threatens the stability of the southern district as gangs increasingly use forced house takeovers to establish drug bunkers.
Law enforcement said five people were injured during the confrontation [1]. Officers seized a cache of weapons, ammunition, and narcotics from the site. The raid followed a period of heightened instability linked to the death of a narcotics figure known as “El Muela,” whose funeral was marked by gunfire [2].
Investigators said the gangs in the area are not only trafficking drugs but are also operating loan-sharking schemes to expand their financial influence. These activities have contributed to a cycle of neighborhood violence, and territorial disputes.
Luis Otero said the situation is related to episodes of violence experienced in the area and the way criminal groups organize themselves [2].
The police operation aimed to dismantle the infrastructure of these groups, specifically targeting the properties used as bunkers. The neighborhood has become a focal point for security forces attempting to curb the influence of organized crime in the city's periphery.
“The operation targeted criminal gangs engaged in a violent narco-war.”
The escalation of violence in Fuerte Apache reflects a broader trend of organized crime infiltrating residential areas through the forced seizure of homes. The transition from simple drug sales to complex criminal enterprises—including loan-sharking and the creation of fortified bunkers—indicates a deepening entrenchment of gang power that requires more aggressive state intervention to disrupt.
