Who is Mayro Casasola, arrested in Zacapa and one of the “most wanted”

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Hidden millions, money laundering and drug trafficking: Who is Mayro Casasola, arrested in Zacapa and one of the “most wanted”

In 2019, Casasola was found in possession of nearly US$300,000 hidden in a truck by authorities and was later released, making him one of the “100 most wanted” in Guatemala.

Mayro Otoniel Casasola Ipiña was captured this Wednesday, August 21, 2024, in the village of Los Limones, Gualán, Zacapa. (Photo Prensa Libre: PNC)

The General Subdirectorate for Anti-Narcotics Information Analysis (SGAIA) of the National Civil Police (PNC) captured this Wednesday, August 21, Mayro Otoniel Casasola Ipiña, 51 years old, in the village of Los Limones, Gualan, Zacapa.

Casasola Ipiña was part of the list of the “100 Most Wanted” for being accused of laundering money or other assets, according to the order issued by a Guatemalan court on April 26, 2022.

This arrest is not the first for Casasola Ipiña.

On December 7, 2019, he was arrested in Morales, Izabal, when he tried to travel in a truck with another man.

On that occasion, the SGAIA received an anonymous alert call on the anti-narcotics lineso he intercepted the vehicle that was still on the property and discovered a significant amount of cash hidden in a compartment of the truck.

The total sum confiscated amounted to US$299 mil 700 (approximately Q2.3 million)which were hidden in the vehicle’s air compressor.

Read also: Helicopter, luxury vehicles and apartments: More than Q15 million in assets forfeited to extradited drug traffickers

The investigation of the anti-narcotics division suggests that Casasola Ipiña He is linked to a drug trafficking network and is allegedly responsible for laundering money for that organization.

A check in the database established that Casasola Ipiña was also arrested on December 7, 2019, in Morales, Izabal; on that occasion he was traveling in a truck with another man, for carrying cash hidden in a compartment of the vehicle. pic.twitter.com/IYDnVQppJr

— PNC de Guatemala (@PNCdeGuatemala) August 21, 2024

Casasola Ipiña managed to evade the authorities, but a new investigation was initiated and the security forces had been looking for him for two years.

In 2019, during an intervention in Morales, Izabal, Casasola Ipiña was caught trying to hide US$299,000, approximately Q2.3 million, in the air compressor of a truck. (Photo Prensa Libre: PNC)