Paraguay: operation against organized crime seized over US$100 million in assets

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Paraguay‘s National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD) reported that it launched operation “A ULTRANZA PY”, “the largest operation against organized crime and money laundering” in the country, according to the agency itself.

In total, so far, more than 100 raids have been carried out, and more than US$100 million in assets have been seized. In addition, 30 arrest warrants were issued.

In the operation coordinated by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Europol, and Uruguay’s Directorate-General for the Suppression of Illicit Drug Trafficking, seven Paraguayan nationals (four men and three women) were arrested, and high-end vehicles, boats, and nine light-aircraft were seized, reported local newspaper El Nacional.

SENAD explained it was “a 27-month investigation with special investigative techniques and international information transfer. It targets a broad criminal scheme dedicated to trafficking tons of cocaine from South America to ports in Europe and Africa,” said the Paraguayan anti-drug agency.

It then reported that the criminal organization in question is linked to some 21 tons of cocaine seized over two years in Antwerp, Belgium; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Paraguay, and Uruguay.

“There is a scheme of companies and substantial assets forged through drug trafficking,” he stressed.

The detainees were identified as Job Von Zastrow Masi, Luis Fernando Sebriani González, Alberto Koube Ayala and Fátima Koube Ayala (siblings of the Colorado Party politician Daniel Koube), Liz Fabiola Taboada Gamarra, María Noelia Colmán Alarcón (Koube’s partner), and Conrado Ramón Insfrán.

The newspaper reported that these people were members of the “logistical arm of the scheme of preparation, shipment of drugs outside the country and subsequent money laundering, proceeds of the criminal activity”.

The historic operation coincided with the departure of the Paraguayan Interior Minister following allegations of links with a drug trafficker.

The country’s president, Mario Abdo Benítez, dismissed his interior minister, Arnaldo Giuzzio, on Tuesday after allegations of his contacts with Marcus Vinicius Espíndola Marqués de Padua, an alleged drug trafficker arrested in Brazil, came to light.

The Chief of Cabinet of the Presidency, Hernán Huttemann, announced to journalists the president’s decision, which he assured was based on “the deep conviction and the need to safeguard the legitimacy of the Ministry of the Interior”.

He also confirmed that Giuzzio would be replaced by Federico González, advisor to the Presidency on Strategic Affairs, who is expected to take office this Wednesday.

Huttemann indicated that Abdo Benítez also appointed the current Minister of Justice, Cecilia Pérez, as an advisor in the Security Affairs of the Presidency.

Giuzzio’s departure came after local media reported contacts between the hitherto minister and an alleged Brazilian drug trafficker, which the former official claimed took place before he became aware that he belonged to a “criminal organization”.

Giuzzio explained that last year he received a visit from Marcos Vinicius in a unit of the Paraguayan National Police called the Specialized Group, in his capacity as a “representative of the Black Eagle company”.

He detailed that he was then “accompanied by technical personnel”, to whom Marcos Vinicius “showed tactical equipment offered by his company”. According to Giuzzio, the subject sent to the Ministry “a proposal on armoring”.

He also admitted that at the end of December, on a family trip, after a mechanical breakdown in his vehicle in Brazil, he decided to return to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, and rent a vehicle from the Ombu company, owned by the alleged drug trafficker, to continue the trip.

However, the newspaper Última Hora revealed that the manager of the company Ombu SA, Gilberto Enciso, indicated that the vehicle was given to him due to a friendship.

The alleged drug trafficker was arrested a few days ago in Brazil as part of Operation Turf, supported by the DEA and Europol.