Argentine official sought in drug trafficking probe

A 27-year-old municipal official in Argentina has become the subject of an intense manhunt after being accused of drug trafficking. Luna Ortigoza, who held the position of director for Gender and Diversity Policies in Morón, is now a fugitive. The investigation began with an anonymous tip, leading federal police to discover approximately half a kilogram of cocaine at Ortigoza's home. She is alleged to be part of an organization involved in drug sales.

Ortigoza was dismissed from her post following the discovery. The case has also drawn attention to her family's connections within the local government. Morón Mayor Lucas Ghi stated that Ortigoza was appointed for her qualifications and denied political motivations, though records show her appointment in June 2025, signed by Ghi himself. Her direct supervisor until her removal was the Secretary of Women, Gender, and Diversity.

As prosecutors work to determine Ortigoza's role in the drug ring, other family members have come under scrutiny. Her mother, Silvina Noemí Ortigoza, is listed as a director in a community management unit and has past ties to political groups allied with Kirchnerism. Reports suggest a strained relationship between mother and daughter, with speculation that Luna Ortigoza might be hiding at her mother's residence. Her sister also serves as an advisor to a provincial senator. The Ortigoza family, particularly the mother, is reportedly linked to Hernán Sabbatella, a municipal legal secretary who faced past accusations of sexual abuse and drug distribution, though that case was archived.