The National Civil Police (PNC) plans to acquire 50 thousand units, including grenades and tear gas projectiles, as well as white smoke. The purchase of the equipment, according to the justification presented during the purchasing process, aims to strengthen the operational capacity to prevent and combat crime.
The institution wants to acquire five thousand distraction grenades, 15 thousand triple-action tear gas grenades, 10 thousand white smoke grenades, 10 thousand 37/38 mm tear gas projectiles and 10 thousand white smoke projectiles of the same caliber.
These deterrent means are used by security forces to control riots and in operations in which it is necessary to disperse groups of people or reduce risks for agents and citizens.
According to the documentation in Guatecompras, the acquisition is based on article 3 of the National Civil Police Law, which establishes that this institution is responsible for protecting the life, physical integrity, safety of people and their property, in addition to preventing, investigating and combating crime.
The file also indicates that the acquisition responds to requirements formulated by different police stations and general subdirectorates of the PNC, with the purpose of providing the institution with equipment that allows interoperability between its divisions during operations to prevent and combat crime. He adds that the purchase is part of the Annual Purchase Plan for fiscal year 2026.
Free press consulted the Department of Social Communication of the National Civil Police to find out to which agencies or regions of the country the deterrent means will be distributed; However, at the time of going to press, there had been no response.
Other purchases
This acquisition joins other recent investments, including the award of 540 police vehicles for Q209.22 million to Cofiño Stahl y Compañía, SA, as part of the first phase of a plan from the Ministry of the Interior to incorporate a thousand units into the PNC fleet. The purchase includes 400 pick-up patrol vehicles, 50 agricultural trucks, 60 minibuses for 15 passengers and 30 panel vehicles.
In addition, the PNC awarded the purchase of five thousand portable radios for Q62.74 million to the Tactical Group company. This acquisition is audited by the Comptroller General of Accounts, while the Deputy José Chic has pointed out a possible overcharge in the contracting process.