Chilean gendarmes arrested for smuggling phones into Araucanía prison

Chilean police (PDI) arrested gendarmes in La Araucanía for smuggling cell phones into a penal unit, charging up to $400,000 per device, as part of a broader investigation into drug trafficking, bribery, and criminal association. The operation follows an enhanced crackdown after a recent institutional shake-up. This exposes corruption within Chile's prison system, potentially enabling organized crime coordination from inside.