Urgent Report: Grenade Explosion Inside a Motel in the Venecia Neighborhood in Bogotá
On the afternoon of Monday, October 16, an explosion occurred inside a well-known motel located in the Venecia neighborhood of Tunjuelito, Bogotá.
Preliminary information indicates that this could be a case of extortion targeting local merchants. It is alleged that two individuals on a motorcycle threw a grenade at the entrance of the building before immediately fleeing the scene. Shortly after their escape, a loud detonation was heard inside the establishment.
Following the incident, the Metropolitan Police of Bogotá issued a statement, urging the public to provide any information that could lead to the capture of those responsible.
“In response to the events that occurred in the Venecia sector, specifically at the motels, where an explosive device detonated, the National Police is conducting the appropriate investigations with the gathered evidence to apprehend the individuals responsible,” stated the Police.
Furthermore, authorities offered a reward and emphasized that information can be provided anonymously or with absolute confidentiality.
“Starting from this point, the institution will implement special security measures in this area, positioning both undercover and uniformed agents. We also call on the community to help identify the individuals behind this criminal act. To this end, the institution has allocated up to 10 million pesos as a reward for anyone who provides information leading to the identification of these delinquents,” concluded the authority.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the Venecia neighborhood. On the afternoon of July 20, another alarming event took place in the same area of Tunjuelito, when an explosion occurred inside a motel due to a grenade attack.
According to Colonel Herbert Benavidez Valderrama, Deputy Commander of the Metropolitan Police of Bogotá, the person responsible for the grenade attack in Venecia was a man who fled the scene on a motorcycle with another individual after carrying out the plan.
In the words of the police officer, “We have made available our entire investigation team from the criminal investigation section, as well as our Gaula units, in order to identify and work on dismantling the criminal organization behind these actions in the Venecia sector.”
Authorities continued to monitor the case, warning about the activities of what appeared to be a criminal organization operating in Bogotá.
While the investigation progresses to locate the criminals, the public and potential witnesses were asked to provide assistance. Additionally, a reward of up to 20 million pesos was announced “to aid in clarifying the situation,” according to Benavidez Valderrama.
Seizure of Properties and Commercial Establishments through Asset Forfeiture
The coordinated efforts of the Attorney General’s Office and the Fiscal and Customs Police (Polfa) have resulted in an impact on the assets of several individuals suspected of accumulating and trading smuggled goods in Bogotá.
A prosecutor from the Specialized Directorate for Asset Forfeiture imposed precautionary measures of device suspension, embargo, and seizure on 9 urban properties and 2 commercial establishments located in the center of Bogotá, with a total value of over 25.6 billion pesos.
Between 2018 and 2022, these properties were allegedly used to store and distribute illegally imported products, as they lacked the necessary documentation to prove the payment of applicable taxes and legitimate entry into the national customs territory.