Paraguay’s Anti-Drug Secretariat warns of synthetic drugs circulation

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On June 5, Paraguay’s National Anti-Drug Secretariat (Senad) confirmed an increase in the sale and consumption of synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs in Paraguayan territory.

These are Ecstasy (MDMA), in various presentations and qualities, Cristal or Meta (methamphetamines), Tusi (MDMA mixed with Ketamine), and Carton or Tablet (LSD), according to the result of the institution’s investigations.

“They are not new drugs,” clarified the communication director of Senad, Francisco Ayala, but their commercialization in the country “is relatively recent”.

He mentioned to Telefuturo channel that “there are antecedents” from five years ago when “the first laboratory that was manufacturing ecstasy pills” was detected in Ciudad del Este (border with Brazil).

“The world of micro-trafficking adapts to the purchasing power of consumers,” he said, referring to the price of narcotics, which ranges from PYG 70,000 (US$10) to PYG 300,000 per dose.

“We have to start from the premise that it is a business, illicit, but business. So it is based on supply and demand,” he said.

Ayala mentioned that Paraguay is working in the fight against cheaper drugs such as crack and marijuana, so he called attention to the increase in consumption of these new varieties.

He warned that these are “very strong” stimulants consumed at parties, especially by young people and adolescents of a medium-high socioeconomic level.

NEW EVOLUTION OPERATION

On Friday, June 3, the Secretary of State announced the capture of 11 people, among them six university students, within the operation called New Evolution, “the first operation aimed at dismantling synthetic drug sales networks in our country,” they reported on their social networks.

This intervention was carried out after six months of investigation, confirmed Ayala, and involved special agents who carried out 14 operations in several cities.

The detainees are young people of Paraguayan, Brazilian, Argentinean, and Colombian nationality, suspected of being part of an illegal trade network.

The communicator added that, after the operation, it was found that there was already an important market for synthetic drugs within Paraguayan territory, especially in the Central department.

He said that although “we cannot rule out the existence of laboratories”, the products seized in this operation were not manufactured in Paraguay, they are “coming from Europe” and they suspect that they were entering the country from the border with Brazil.

With information from EFE