Colombia suspends and cancels security firm licenses over weapons

President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on October 2, 2026, that the Colombian government has canceled or suspended the licenses of multiple private security firms amid investigations into illicit weapons handling and potential ties to criminal syndicates. The information was published by Blu Radio, and the president confirmed the measures through his account on X.

License Cancellations and Suspensions Target Barranquilla Security Firms

Administrative actions span several private security providers operating in regions including Barranquilla. Maximus Seguridad Privada Ltda. faces a fully canceled license, while Atenas Seguridad Privada Ltda. confronts a cancellation decision in first instance. Blink Seguridad Privada Ltda., also known as Iblink, is subject to cancellation orders and provisional suspension measures.

Lost Prevention Ltda. received a cancellation notice that remains pending final resolution. Meanwhile, OL Security Group–Servisecurity sits under an active suspension while its formal cancellation proceeds through administrative channels. The executive branch maintains that these providers failed mandatory standards regarding weapons custody, financial reporting, legal compliance, and physical location verification.

Supervigilancia Probes Alleged Criminal Networks and Missing Armament

Superintendency investigations examine whether specific private security providers maintained operational connections with criminal organizations such as Los Costeños and the Clan Vega Daza. De la Espriella stated that investigators are actively tracing the precise whereabouts of unaccounted-for weaponry assigned to these licensed entities, noting that ¡Exijo controles rigurosos y esclarecer el destino de las armas faltantes! Quien tenga responsabilidades deberá responder ante la justicia, sea quien sea. The government has ordered a nationwide audit across all departments to identify other companies potentially violating weapons control regulations. The reporting does not specify the exact quantity of weapons being tracked, the particular firms linked to them, the regions where the discrepancies occurred, or the precise infractions that triggered each administrative measure.

No formal judicial declarations of guilt have been finalized regarding criminal conspiracy charges against the named companies, as administrative processes run parallel to ongoing investigations. The current administration instructed the superintendent of Vigilancia and Security Privada upon taking office to dismantle front operations that supply protection and firepower to unlawful actors, with the president stating, Tan pronto se posesionó el superintendente de Vigilancia y Seguridad Privada, le di una orden clara: perseguir las fachadas que utilizan los delincuentes para armarse y protegerse.