Five held in pretrial detention after 400 kilograms of drugs seized in Artigas

Five of the seven people detained after a major drug seizure in Uruguay’s Artigas department were ordered held in pretrial detention for six months. The other two remain at the disposal of the courts.

The case followed “Operation Polux,” in which police seized more than 400 kilograms of drugs, including 300 kilograms of cocaine and 100 kilograms of cocaine base, after the packages were dropped from a small aircraft. Interior Minister Carlos Negro said the investigation began in February, when police started monitoring people linked to the case in Artigas and Salto.

Three detainees, aged 23, 28 and 36, had no criminal records. They were charged with criminal association and aggravated illegal trafficking of narcotics, including importation. A 33-year-old man with previous convictions for assault, transporting drugs and drug possession was charged with criminal association and organizing drug-trafficking activities.

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a very complex criminal structure

A fifth detainee, aged 19 and with no prior record, faces charges involving criminal association, aggravated drug trafficking and the importation of prohibited narcotics, as well as carrying and possessing firearms in public places. The investigation remains active.

Police General Commissioner Pablo Lotito described the group as “a very complex criminal structure.” Although the organization is Uruguayan, he said it has “evident” links abroad. Intelligence work identified a rural area near Baltasar Brum as a likely landing site. On the day of the operation, officers saw an aircraft fly over the area and several packages fall from it while alleged members of the group waited to collect them. Police intercepted three vehicles and conducted 11 raids in Salto, leading to seven arrests. Among them was the alleged leader, a 40-year-old man who was detained in 2019 with 800 kilograms of cocaine in Ciudad de la Costa, Canelones.

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evident