LIMA, March 7, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An explosion inside a nightclub in northern Peru injured 33 people early Saturday, according to authorities investigating the incident in a region plagued by organized crime.

The blast, described as a suspected "attack" in a statement by the regional government of La Libertad department, occurred before dawn at the Dali discotheque near Trujillo, a coastal city some 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of the capital Lima.

Dozens of people were in the club enjoying a cumbia performance when an explosion shook the facility, according to images on local channel Sol TV Peru.

"We have 33 injuries reported so far, including five in serious condition," regional health manager Alberto Florian told the Latina Noticias television broadcast.

Trujillo province has been deeply impacted by organized crime in recent years, and has been in a government-declared state of emergency since March 2025 due to rises in extortion and contract killings.

Peru more broadly is experiencing a serious crime crisis. Last year there were 2,200 homicides related to organized crime, according to police data.