Peruvian Prosecutors Investigate Extortion Attack on Cumbia Band's Bus

Peru's prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into extortion following an armed assault on a cumbia band's bus in northern Lima, which resulted in at least one person being wounded by a gunshot. The First Provincial Criminal Prosecutor's Office of the Los Olivos district initiated the probe to identify those responsible for the extortion attempt against the musical group 'Las Estrellas de la Cumbia.'

Preliminary reports indicate the band had been subjected to threats and intimidation, including messages with photos and videos of firearms and grenades, demanding payment of up to 20,000 soles (approximately $5,800). Provincial Prosecutor Paola Guerra has assigned the investigation to the Extortion Investigation Division of the National Police of Peru (PNP).

The PNP is tasked with obtaining statements from the victims and the band's representative, collecting the injured person's medical report, and examining security camera footage and forensic evidence from the scene. Investigators also requested the location of the phone used to record the assault and a police inspection report to aid in identifying and apprehending the perpetrators.

Images circulating on social media show the attack, with assailants firing at the bus from a motorcycle. Band members initially reported three injured and told RPP radio that extortion attempts began nine months prior, prompting them to request police protection. Julio Bretoneche, a representative for transport drivers in southern Lima, highlighted the broader issue of organized crime targeting transport workers and other guilds, citing over 200 attacks and 152 fatalities since August 2024, including 15 passengers. He criticized current measures as insufficient, noting that many companies pay extortion to multiple criminal groups.