'Jhonsson Pulpo' arrives in Peru after Bolivia expels Los Pulpos leader

Jhonsson Smit Cruz Torres, alias “Jhonsson Pulpo,” is now in Peru after Bolivia expelled him following his capture in La Paz. The alleged leader of the Los Pulpos criminal organization crossed into Peru through Desaguadero, in the Puno region, and was handed over to the Peruvian National Police at the binational border center.

The transfer took place under a broad security operation. Six police vehicles escorted Cruz Torres to Desaguadero, accompanied by members of the Bolivian Police. Images released after the handover showed him wearing a detainee vest and surrounded by Peruvian and Bolivian officers.

Before he formally entered Peruvian territory, officials completed the immigration procedures required for his expulsion from Bolivia. The operation that led to his capture took place at a property on Isaac Tamayo Street in La Paz and involved Bolivian police, the Peruvian National Police, the DEA and the FBI. Authorities said Cruz Torres tried to escape but was subdued.

After the proceedings in Desaguadero, Cruz Torres began traveling toward Puno under strict security measures. He is then expected to be taken to Juliaca, where he will board a flight from Inca Manco Cápac Airport to Lima and be placed at the disposal of the competent authorities.

Cruz Torres had remained a fugitive while using different identities to avoid detection. He reportedly also changed his appearance through surgeries involving his ears, cheekbones and eyebrows. In Bolivia, he presented himself as a real-estate businessman and lived in exclusive areas of La Paz. He is the son of Jhon Cruz Arce, known as “John Pulpo,” identified as the clan’s founder. Cruz Torres later took over Los Pulpos, an organization based in Trujillo and linked to extortion, kidnapping and killings.