They captured former Honduran football player “Pescado” Bonilla

Former soccer player Oscar “Pescado” Bonilla was captured by police this Saturday afternoon, Security Minister Gustavo Sanchez confirmed.

Bonilla (San Pedro Sula, 1978) had been wanted since September after Honduran police officials revealed he was being investigated for allegedly leading an international drug trafficking ring.

The Public Ministry charged him with serious drug trafficking crimes. The unit, through the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime (Fesco), together with agents from the National Anti-Drug Police Directorate (DNPA), participated in the arrest operation in the coastal municipality.

Security reported that Bonilla was arrested in an undercover operation in the municipality of Tella, Atlanta. He will be transferred to Tegucigalpa, where he will be presented tomorrow, Sunday, at 10:00 am to a court with national jurisdiction to hear the statement of the accused.

According to Honduran authorities, “El Pescado” Bonilla received drug shipments that were transported on boats from La Mosquitia and then shipped by land to Copán, and from there to the United States.

One of the ringleaders, according to court files, is Ricky Haylock Echeverría, who lives in Puerto Lempira, where he was shot while driving in a vehicle on August 21, 2021. According to anti-narcotics agents, Hecklock Echeverría coordinates boats with drug shipments coming from Colombia. The drug trafficking operation is carried out with Celio Antonio López Mack, Marco Jacil Miranda and Jairo Mayorga, brother of Guillermo.

During these years the Pescado Bonilla gang has worked to obtain tons of cocaine, they have employed many Misquitos who are in charge of transporting bales of drugs in small boats.

One of those involved is Manuel Antonio Romero Calderón, who was captured on February 16, 2022 when he was sailing a boat in which he was carrying 248 kilos of cocaine near the Tripoli community of La Masica, Atlántida.

The cargo was transferred from Gracias a Dios to Cortés. After being charged and sent to prison, Manuel Antonio Romero Calderón went through a summary process in which he admitted to serious drug trafficking crimes. After admitting his guilt, Romero Calderón was sentenced to 11 years in prison and the court imposed a fine of 225 thousand lempiras.

“Pescado” Bonilla was one of the most technical players to play in the National League and that is why he made it to three of the four big teams of Honduras. He started his football career at Platense and in 2001 he moved to Bella Vista, Uruguay.

Upon his return to the country, he signed with Olimpia, with whom he played from 2002 to 2006. He was one of the most sought-after players in the leg market and Marathon were fortunate to take him into their ranks in 2007, where he remained until 2009.

One of the directors of Real España at the time said that he was the player he wanted to have in their ranks and this came true in 2009.