41 people charged in Paraguay after operation against suspected Brazilian drug network

On Tuesday, the Public Ministry of Paraguay pressed charges against 41 individuals for alleged money laundering and participation in a criminal association.

The charges were filed as part of an operation targeting an alleged network in Paraguay linked to Brazilian drug trafficker Jarvis Chimenes Pavão, who was extradited back to Brazil in December 2017.

The operation, named “Pavo Real,” saw the execution of search warrants at 12 rural properties in the northern departments of Concepción and Amambay.

The seized assets from Tuesday’s raids were handed over to the National Secretariat of Seized and Confiscated Goods (Senabico).

Prior to this, on Monday, around 30 search operations were carried out across various locations in Paraguay.

The Public Ministry revealed that three anti-drug prosecutors—Osmar Segovia, Fabiola Molas, and Ysaac Ferreira—presented the indictment against the 41 individuals to criminal judge Gustavo Amarilla.

Currently, 12 of the accused remain in custody.

Gunter Krone, the Director of Strategic Information Analysis at the Public Prosecutor’s Office, informed the local media that 11 people have been arrested so far, with one individual surrendering to authorities on Monday.

Of those arrested, the Public Prosecutor’s Office requested pretrial detention for eight individuals and house arrest for four others, including a nursing mother and a 71-year-old man.

The operation’s objective is to apprehend over 30 individuals and intervene in companies associated with the alleged structure connected to Brazilian drug traffickers.

Jarvis Chimenes Pavão is currently serving a 17-year prison sentence in Brazil for charges related to money laundering, drug trafficking, and criminal association.

Paraguay extradited him after he completed an eight-year sentence for money laundering.