Jhonsson Smit Cruz Torres, alias “Jhonsson Pulpo,” the alleged leader of the Peruvian criminal organization Los Pulpos, was arrested in Bolivia on September 1. The capture came just days after his gang was accused by police of orchestrating a violent kidnapping that shocked the nation. While this arrest could destabilize the group he led, experts say it will do little to curb the country’s pervasive extortion crisis.
The Peruvian government confirmed the arrest of Jhonsson Pulpo in La Paz, attributing the operation to months of collaborative intelligence efforts between Bolivian police, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Following his capture, Jhonsson Pulpo was swiftly extradited to Peruvian authorities.
Jhonsson Pulpo was one of Peru’s most sought-after fugitives, with a bounty of up to $148,000 (500,000 soles) offered for information leading to his capture. He allegedly assumed leadership of the Pulpos at the young age of 17, following the imprisonment of his father, Jhon Smith Cruz Arce—alias “Jhon Pulpo,” the group’s founder and former leader—in 2013.
He faced charges for a range of severe crimes, including robbery resulting in death, aggravated homicide, contract killing, organized crime, and kidnapping. In 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison in absentia. The organization he allegedly led, Los Pulpos (the Octopi), is a multi-generational, family-based criminal network that originated in the El Porvenir district of Trujillo. Bolivian authorities noted that while the group’s primary operations are based in Peru, it has expanded its reach into other nations.
The arrest occurred just days after gunmen disguised as police officers kidnapped mining businessman Jenss Lara Tantaquilla in Trujillo, once again thrusting the Pulpos into the spotlight. Tragically, the four individuals accompanying him at the time were killed.
Lara was released the following day. Peru’s Justice Minister, Ernesto Álvarez, linked the abduction to a decision by the victim’s family to cease paying extortion fees to the Pulpos. However, Lara’s father, Eleuterio Lara, publicly denied that any ransom was paid.
It remains uncertain who will succeed Jhonsson Pulpo at the helm of the Pulpos. Meanwhile, his father, who served 17 years after his arrest and conviction, was released from prison in 2025.
The Pulpos’ Place in Peru’s Criminal Order
In recent years, the Pulpos have frequently dominated headlines in Peru, primarily due to their systematic extortion of public transport operators and small and medium-sized business owners in the La Libertad mining region. The group has also expanded into kidnapping and other illicit markets, extending its influence beyond Peru’s borders. According to Peruvian police and InSight Crime, the organization now maintains a presence in Chile and Ecuador, with allegations of operations in Argentina as well.
Los Pulpos have become the most visible symbol of Peru’s escalating extortion crisis. In 2025, the country recorded nearly 27,000 extortion complaints, setting a new record, while extortion-related homicides have surged. The climate of insecurity has forced thousands of small businesses to shut down, and criminals are increasingly targeting sectors previously considered unusual, according to a local convenience store association.
While the capture of Cruz Torres represents a significant blow to the organization’s leadership, his gang is far from the only group profiting from extortion in Peru. Consequently, his arrest is unlikely to have any tangible impact on the country’s overall extortion rates.
“They serve as a scapegoat. Whatever happens, good or bad, people say: ‘It was Los Pulpos,’” Julio Corcuera Portugal, a former vice interior minister, told InSight Crime.
“Perhaps their biggest impact is the level of violence they generate. But if they disappeared, the overall criminal dynamics would remain unchanged,” he added.
Extortion has become highly lucrative for hundreds of criminal groups across the country. In Lima alone, government estimates from early 2025 suggested the presence of over 200 active criminal organizations.
Among other notorious alleged criminal bosses is Erick Moreno Hernández, alias “El Monstruo,” who is accused of leading Los Injertos del Cono Norte, a criminal network responsible for kidnappings and extortion across northern Lima. Having fled Peru last year, El Monstruo continues to evade capture.
Other extortion rings have spread across Peru’s mining regions. For instance, La Jauría (The Pack) is active in the Trujillo province of La Libertad, while the Guardianes de la Trocha (Guardians of the Trail) operates in the Amazon region of Madre de Dios. Both groups extort illegal miners and local businesses.
Other names on the government’s most-wanted list, alongside El Monstruo, include Rodrigo Torres, an alleged drug trafficker, and Gonzalo Monteverde Bussalleu, who is wanted for money laundering connected to the Odebrecht corruption scandal.
Against the backdrop of this explosion in extortion gangs, the downfall of the Pulpos could present an opportunity for rival organizations, according to Corcuera Portugal.
“The arrest will weaken Los Pulpos, but it will also prompt other criminal groups operating in northern Peru and Trujillo to try to fill the spaces they leave behind,” he noted.
