Paraguay Judge Jails 4 Over Miami Cannabis Jet

PARAGUAY · JUSTICE

Paraguay’s investigation into a jet that flew high-potency cannabis from Florida has moved from the passengers to the airport itself.

A judge in Paraguay has ordered four airport-linked suspects held in pretrial detention in the Miami cannabis jet case. Judge Lici Teresita Sánchez issued the order on Saturday, 10 October, after a hearing in Asunción, the capital.

The private jet flew in from Miami in May with 261.6 kilos of high-potency cannabis on board. For US readers, the case shows American cannabis moving south, allegedly with help from inside a national airport.

What the Judge Decided

Sánchez is a criminal guarantees judge who specialises in organised crime, according to the newspaper Hoy. In Paraguay, such judges supervise investigations and decide on detention before any trial.

The hearing was set for Saturday afternoon at the Palacio de Justicia, the main court building in Asunción. The newspaper Última Hora reported the outcome on Sunday, 11 October.

According to Última Hora, the four will stay at the headquarters of the national anti-drug agency for five days. If no appeal changes the ruling in that time, they will move to the former Tacumbú prison in Asunción.

Pretrial detention is not a conviction, and all four are presumed innocent.

Who the Four Suspects Are

The Secretaría Nacional Antidrogas (SENAD), Paraguay’s national anti-drug agency, named three of the men in a statement on Friday, 9 October. They are flight controller Herman Melgarejo Morales and José María Fernández Vera, an agent handling airport paperwork.

The third is Víctor Fernández Arce, an operations supervisor at Munser S.A., an airport company. Local reports identify the fourth as an official at Dinac, the civil aviation authority.

SENAD and the Ministerio Público, the public prosecutor’s office, carried out four raids in the operation. Three targeted homes in Luque, the city that hosts the airport, and one targeted a company inside Silvio Pettirossi International Airport.

How the Miami Cannabis Jet Was Caught

SENAD intercepted the private jet at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport on 30 May 2026. The agency said the plane came from Miami with 261.6 kilos of cannabis high in THC.

The newspaper ABC Color reported in June that the aircraft was a US-registered Bombardier Challenger business jet. It said the plane stopped in Panama City before landing near Asunción, and that the bags were described as musical instruments.

On 1 June, a judge ordered pretrial detention for three passengers travelling on US passports, ABC Color reported. The pilot left Paraguay soon after landing, and the co-pilot was dropped from the case after cooperating with prosecutors.

What Prosecutors Allege

Prosecutor Ingrid Cubilla charged the four airport-linked suspects on Friday, Última Hora reported. The charges include international drug trafficking, criminal association, coercion and aggravated bribery.

According to the prosecution, one suspect coordinated the flight and the unloading. Another allegedly pressed control staff to release the seized cargo.

A third suspect allegedly helped move the bags from the plane to a nearby vehicle. The fourth, a Dinac official, allegedly discussed releasing the cargo in exchange for a reward, prosecutors said.

A Growing Flow of US Cannabis

The jet is part of a wider pattern, according to SENAD. On 7 October, it reported over 1,200 kilos of high-potency cannabis seized under the current government.

Most came from the United States, and part was bound for Brazil. Earlier cases included 311 kilos hidden in two pickup trucks from Miami.

What It Means for You

For US readers, the case links American cannabis supply with smuggling routes into South America. Three people travelling on US passports were ordered into Paraguayan pretrial detention in June.

The charges also point to alleged weak spots inside the country’s main international airport. No new rules for commercial passengers have been announced in connection with the case.

What Is Not Known

Neither the courts nor the prosecutor’s office had published the detention order by Sunday evening. The ruling is known from Última Hora’s report, and the suspects’ defence arguments have not been made public.

It is also not known who paid for the flight or who was meant to receive the cannabis. Local reports give different job titles for the fourth suspect.

What Comes Next

The defence can appeal the detention order before it becomes final. If the ruling stands, the four will be moved from SENAD headquarters to the former Tacumbú prison.

Prosecutors must then build a formal indictment against the airport-linked suspects. The detention ruling does not decide guilt, and no trial date has been set.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Miami cannabis jet case?

It is a Paraguayan drug case over a private jet from Miami seized on 30 May 2026. The plane carried 261.6 kilos of high-potency cannabis, according to the anti-drug agency SENAD.

Who was jailed on Saturday?

Four people linked to the airport were ordered into pretrial detention on Saturday, 10 October. They include a flight controller, a civil aviation official, a paperwork agent and an operations supervisor.

Are any Americans involved?

Three passengers travelling on US passports were ordered into pretrial detention on 1 June, local media reported. The four suspects jailed on Saturday are airport workers and aviation officials in Paraguay.

Does pretrial detention mean they are guilty?

No, pretrial detention only keeps suspects in custody while the investigation continues. All four are presumed innocent until a court rules otherwise.

Sources: SENAD, raids in the narcojet case; SENAD, cannabis seizures from the United States; Última Hora; Hoy; ABC Color (all accessed 11 October 2026).