At the request of the Public Ministry, Ingrid Yelitza Palencia Santander and Oliver Eduardo Santander Rivera were deprived of liberty for their alleged responsibility in the smuggling and improper manipulation of 1,200 liters of fuel.
The incident was discovered on November 25 in the Zorca sector, located in the city of San Cristóbal, municipality of the same name in the state of Táchira.
According to the investigation, during that date officials of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), on patrol duty, gave the order to stop a vehicle in which Santander Rivera and Palencia Santander were traveling, in order to carry out a routine inspection.
During the inspection of the car, 32 containers containing approximately 1,200 liters of fuel were found, without any documentation or justification. As a result of the discovery, both the woman and the man were apprehended in flagrante delicto and placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry.
At the presentation hearing, the 33rd Prosecutor’s Office of Táchira charged Palencia Santander and Santander Rivera with the alleged commission of aggravated smuggling, in addition to improper manipulation of substances.
Once the elements of conviction presented by the prosecutor’s representation had been evaluated, the 6th Control Court of that Andean entity issued the custodial measure against both and ordered their temporary confinement at the GNB headquarters in San Cristóbal.
Likewise, it was agreed to seize the vehicle in which the fuel was irregularly transported, as well as the extraction of content from cell phones owned by the accused, in an attempt to obtain more elements of criminalistic interest.
