He Public Ministry (MP) presented this Friday, May 8, the progress of the case called “Narco Network of the Sea”a criminal structure accused of operating a network of drug trafficking through the coasts of the Guatemalan Pacific, mainly in the department of Escuintla.
According to the authorities, the organization used maritime routes to transport shipments of cocaine coming from South America to Guatemala and other countries in the region.
During the operations carried out on May 8, they were captured 11 peopleamong them alleged coordinators, logistics operators and collaborators of the criminal structure.
The deputy section prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office against Narcoactivity, Benny Herreraexplained that the criminal group used fast boats to go into the high seas and collect the drugs at specific points in the Pacific Ocean.
“The coasts of the Guatemalan Pacific were used to transport drugs from one country to another,” Herrera stated during a press conference.
This is how the criminal structure operated
According to the investigation, the organization maintained links with criminal groups in South America, who coordinated the maritime shipment of illicit shipments.
Once the drugs entered Guatemalan territorythe members of the network transported it by land in trucks and vehicles to wineries located in Escuintlawhere it remained stored before being sent to other destinations.
The authorities indicated that the operators had experience in maritime navigation and used specialized technology such as:
- fast boats
- fishing boats
- short and long distance radios
- GPS systems and
- communication equipment to coordinate offshore operations
- Vehicles and trucks were used to move cargo by land.
Allende Zerceño, alleged leader
The MP reported that one of the main blows against this organization occurred on December 1, 2025when he was captured Allende Del Mar Zarceño Castilloidentified as the leader of the criminal structure.
During that operation, the authorities seized 867 packages of cocaine located on a ranch linked to the alleged ringleader.
The researcher of Transnational Anti-Gang Center (CAT) of the National Civil Police (PNC), Carlos Gonzalezexplained that the investigation began in 2024 after a complaint related to drug trafficking activities in the municipalities of Iztapa and Puerto San Josein Escuintla.
As a follow-up to this investigation, this Friday the 13 raids which led to the 11 reported captures.
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Mindef lieutenant member of the network
The authorities also revealed the alleged participation of a member of the Ministry of Defense (Mindef)who would have collaborated with the criminal structure through the theft of state fuel.
According to Herrera, the suspect is lieutenant in Mindef and was responsible for the distribution of fuel within the military institution, but allegedly diverted those resources to supply the boats and vehicles used by the organization.
“This person stole state assets to put them at the service of a criminal structure dedicated to drug trafficking,” said the prosecutor.
Those captured and the crimes charged
As detailed by the authorities during the press conference, the criminal structure operated under a hierarchical organization, in which each member fulfilled specific functions related to logistics, coordination and drug transfer.
According to the research, Allende del Mar Zarceño was pointed out as the alleged leader of the organization.
Below him were:
- Johnny “N”identified as coordinated
- and Miguel “N”also designated as coordinator of operations
The authorities also located as collaborators to:
In the operational part of the structure were identified:
Likewise, the authorities included González “N” among those captured, although during the presentation of the case it was not specified what their function was within the criminal organization. The name and role of the eleventh detained.
The MP indicated that the structure would not only be linked to drug trafficking, but also to other crimes related to the exploitation of victims and human trafficking.
The detainees are investigated for:
- illicit trade, trafficking and storage
- illicit trafficking conspiracy
- embezzlement by subtraction
- crimes related to human trafficking
Although at the conference it was not specified whether all those captured are charged with the same crimes.
Zarceño and his background linked to drug trafficking
In December 2025, authorities located more than 600 packages of cocaine from Colombia at the El Edén ranch, located in the Bahía del Sol neighborhood, in Escuintla, owned by Allende del Mar Zarceño.
However, Zarceño’s history linked to drug trafficking goes back several years. In 2013, his brother, Lester Zarceño Castillodied in an armed attack while traveling in a vehicle on the route to Iztapa. According to the investigations at that time, one of the hypotheses pointed to a possible settling of accounts between structures dedicated to drug trafficking.
Furthermore, in 2006, Allende del Mar Zarceño He was captured in the United States and later convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.