Argentine police officer sentenced for role in drug ring that used 'rock, paper, scissors' to assign transport duties

A former police officer in Salta, Argentina, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his involvement in a criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking. Edgar Nicolás Aquino, 35, was found guilty as a co-perpetrator in the transportation of nearly 20 kilograms of cocaine, which was discovered hidden in the fuel tank of a vehicle during a Gendarmerie inspection in March 2025.

The case gained judicial attention due to the gang's unusual decision-making process. According to phone communications recovered from seized devices, members used the game "rock, paper, scissors" to determine who would risk driving drug shipments across the country's northern routes.

Evidence presented during the trial included messages from the phones of Aquino's accomplices, Osmar Gabriel Rojas and Walter Ariel Caballero. Both had previously received five-year sentences on September 3, 2025, for their roles as the direct transporters of the narcotics. In one exchange on March 12, 2024, Caballero asked Aquino about planning the itinerary, to which Aquino responded by explaining they would play "rock, paper, scissors" the next day to decide who would travel with the contraband.

Although Aquino was not driving the vehicle intercepted on Route 35, the court determined he acted as a "spotter car" or "point car," coordinating the logistics and ensuring the safe passage of the drugs. Investigations confirmed that both vehicles traveled the same route, passing through several towns. Aquino also repeatedly attempted to contact his detained accomplices, further linking him to the operation. The court concluded that Aquino had control over the drug shipment and a direct connection to its transportation, despite attempts to distance himself from the physical act.