Two men and a woman, who police said used acid to attack women, were arrested Tuesday in Bogota, according to news reports.
Police learned of the three suspects after one of the victim’s family members filed a complaint stating that acid was thrown on the face of her relative, causing multiple burns. They also stole her jewelry, police said. The victim is still recovering from her injuries.
Police captured the assailants in a building in the ??Bosa Laurele neighborhood, where they met to plan their attacks. There police found containers filled with nitric acid, a key component of fertilizer that causes severe burns when it comes into contact with skin.
Police identified the suspects as Jorge Alberto Ramos Cruz, Marta Lucia Ortiz and Andres Garzon Yeison, according to Radio Santa Fe. The three are linked to at least 19 other cases, which include charges of aggravated assault and sexual abuse. The three deliberately targeted women and shop owners and used the acid to terrorize their victims, police said.
After announcing the arrests, Metropolitan Police commander Luis Eduardo Martinez called on the government to better regulate the sale of dangerous chemicals, which are increasingly being used in robberies, according to El Colombiano.
Last May, Colombia’s legislature approved a bill that increased penalties against those who use acid in attacks. The bill raised the maximum prison sentence to 20 years.