Seized cocaine represents a US$ 240 million blow to organized crime

Asuncion, IP Agency.- The more than 4,000 kilos of cocaine seized in a sugar container in Puerto Caacupemí represent a blow of approximately 240 million dollars to organized crime, estimated today the national director of Tax Revenue, Oscar Orué. He affirmed that the Government will continue working to “continue to prevent Paraguay from being a drug transit country.”

A total of 4,013 kilos of cocaine have been quantified so far, as a result of the inspection of one of the four containers seized, three of which are still sealed.

“This process continues. Today, the three sealed containers will be opened and inspections and differentiation will be carried out to determine if these loads are also contaminated,” said Director Orué at a press conference on Tuesday.

He stressed that this seizure, which is the largest ever carried out in Paraguayan territory, “is simply the result of coordinated work between the National Anti-Drug Secretariat and the National Directorate of Tax Revenue.”

“We are talking regarding a blow to drug trafficking of approximately 240 million dollars, it is not a small figure and really as the Government of Paraguay we are very satisfied with this result but we will continue working to achieve many more results,” he said.

The director reported that the Public Prosecutor’s Office already has all the information related to the investigation and that based on that information it will be able to determine those responsible for the cargo that was destined for the port of Antwerp, Belgium.

The operation called “Dulzura” was based on information obtained regarding the possible departure of a large shipment of drugs bound for Europe, as a result of which control began to be tightened on products considered sensitive in order to disguise the merchandise.

The check was carried out on a load of 17 tons of sugar, much of which was contaminated with pure cocaine, the national director explained.