Paraguayan and Brazilian authorities destroy 572 tons of marijuana in border operation

Paraguayan and Brazilian authorities have successfully neutralized 572 tons of marijuana during a joint operation in the Canindeyú department on the border between the two countries.

The operation, “New Alliance 38,” involves special anti-drug agents, the Brazilian Federal Police, military personnel from the Joint Task Force (FTC), the Paraguayan Air Force, and personnel from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The operation’s primary objective is to dismantle large-scale drug production and storage centers catering to the Brazilian market.

Additionally, the operation addresses the challenges of providing assistance to indigenous communities residing in areas where illicit crops are cultivated and protecting forested areas affected by drug trafficking.

Observations made during the operation indicate that drug trafficking poses a direct threat to forest resources in several Paraguayan departments, including protected areas within reserves and national parks.

Therefore, the operation inflicts economic damage on transnational criminal groups and incorporates actions with social and environmental implications.

According to the Paraguayan anti-narcotics agency, the operation has caused an estimated economic loss of approximately US$17 million to organized crime in the Paraguayan market, with the potential to double in the Brazilian market.

“New Alliance 38” is one of the largest regional operations, spanning nearly a decade of continuous efforts. In 2023 alone, the operation has already eradicated over 2,000 tons of drugs in two stages.