El Salvador Court Sentences Three to Over 1,000 Years for Drug Trafficking

A court in El Salvador has handed down sentences exceeding 1,000 years in prison to three men accused of leading a drug trafficking organization. The group, identified as 'El Gremio,' operated by selling drugs via messaging applications.

The Second Court Against Organized Crime in Santa Ana imposed the significant sentences for over 81 drug trafficking cases and more than 12 cases related to the solicitation and conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offenses. The main leaders, Miguel Ángel Mazariego Martínez and Leopoldo Ernesto Ramírez Godoy, each received 1,048 years, while René Ernesto Martínez Salgado was sentenced to 1,038 years.

In total, 28 members of 'El Gremio' were convicted for their involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering, and illicit associations within the western department of Santa Ana. Investigations revealed that the network was active in Santa Ana Centro from November 2023 to November 2024, using messaging apps to facilitate cocaine sales and receive orders.

Official figures show that Salvadoran authorities seized over 25 tons of drugs, predominantly cocaine, valued at more than $618.7 million in 2025. In the previous year, 2024, more than 17.2 tons, valued at $422.7 million, were confiscated. These seizures underscore the ongoing efforts by El Salvador to combat drug trafficking.