Katrine Svendsen (1976-) was a Swedish scientist and nonprofit director who served as the Santa Blanca Cartel's lead chemist.
Biography[]
Katrine Svendsen was born in Sweden in 1976, and she grew up empathizing with the plight and difficulties that many in poorer countries faced. After training as a chemist, she joined the NGO Hands Over Bolivia, working to improve the lives of rural Bolivians through providing them with medical supplies and other essential services. She thus unknowingly joined a CIA front company that, when exposed as a fraud by the Santa Blanca Cartel, was expelled by the Bolivian government. Svendsen's reputation was left in ruins back in Sweden, forcing her to accept employment with the Santa Blanca Cartel. She came to work as the cartel's head chemist, working under Rudolfo Yana to increase the cartel's coca production.
Svendsen was nicknamed "La Gringa" for her Scandinavian appearance, and she actively recruited large amounts of scientists, including Marcus Jensen. The production of coca increased beyond expectations, impressing cartel boss Rodrigo Carlos Pérez Morales, although Nidia Flores demanded increased production. However, Svendsen soon became aware of the atrocities carried out by the cartel against the local populace, which she had sought to serve through both her earlier charity and her usage of their coca to produce cocaine. Ashamed of the cartel's impact of the country, she began covertly selling medical supplies to the Kataris 26 rebels.
In July 2019, the United States launched Operation Kingslayer to take down the cartel after its murder of undercover DEA agent Ricky Sandoval. American special forces broke up the cartel's production network, forcing Svendsen to cut the purity of the cartel's cocaine in order to keep up with demand. Frustrated at her repeated failures, Sueño ordered Svendsen to be assassinated at her home in Ocoro. She was wounded in the arm, although Pac Katari sent Kataris 26 rebels to wipe out the hit squad. Major Anthony Perryman and his Ghost Recon squad extracted her to a nearby rebel campsite, where she received emergency care before being taken to meet with CIA agent Karen Bowman. Bowman threatened Svendsen with torture in prison if she did not cooperate against the cartel, but Svendsen said that several lifetimes in prison was a better outcome than being dealt with by El Sueño.