Córdoba: former chiefs of Police and the Penitentiary Service imprisoned for illicit association

In Córdoba, investigations against former chiefs of the security forces for corruption and illicit association crimes are multiplying. The "Bomberos SA" case has already sent Gustavo Folli Pedetta, former Deputy Chief of Police and former Chief of Firefighters, to trial along with 15 other defendants. The scheme reveals a business of fake permits that compromised the safety of residents and companies.

Meanwhile, in the Penitentiary Service, Prosecutor Enrique Gavier managed to move forward against a network that operated inside the prisons. The main defendant is Juan María Bouvier, the highest-ranking head of the SPC for more than 15 years, accused of having organized internal mafias. According to the Prosecutor's Office, inmates gained access to cell phones, drugs, and privileges in exchange for money.

The case resulted in the indictment of numerous former penitentiary chiefs and exposed a system of corruption entrenched in Córdoba's prisons. The schemes included payments for visits, transfers, and changes in psychotechnical reports. Everything had one goal: to guarantee temporary or home leaves in exchange for bribes.

Mercado and the police mafia

At the same time, the provincial police was also shaken by the arrest of Alejandro Mercado, former Deputy Chief of the force. He was accused of leading two criminal gangs together with active and retired police officers. According to the judiciary, one organization sold stolen cell phones and another manipulated Economic Crimes cases.

The case includes high-ranking chiefs and former officers, such as Diego Martinelli and Christian Ríos, as well as former agents who became lawyers or private security guards. The group's reach shows how police mafias managed to operate with impunity for years. The arrests expose the links between uniformed officers, illegal businesses, and political power.

Ochoa Roldán and "the Azul Simulators"

The latest chapter of the scandal features Maximiliano Gabriel Ochoa Roldán, former Chief of the Highway Police. Prosecutor Guillermo González accuses him of being part of "the Azul Simulators", a gang that set up illegal operations using official resources. Their specialty was resolving conflicts over land seizures and debts, always outside the law.

The case involves police officers and civilians who used information from headquarters to extort individuals. The accused remain detained in Bouwer and face charges of illicit association. These proceedings reveal a common pattern: mafia structures embedded in the provincial security institutions.