Fourth American Detained in Paraguay After Private Plane Drug Seizure

Paraguayan authorities have apprehended a fourth American citizen, identified as Jabari Stephen Brown, in connection with a significant drug seizure. Brown, who gained international attention for winning a competition hosted by popular YouTuber MrBeast, was detained at an Asunción hotel. His arrest is linked to a private plane that landed at the Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, Paraguay's primary air hub, carrying 261.6 kilograms of marijuana with a high THC content. The plane had originated from Miami. The National Anti-Drug Secretariat (Senad) reported that Brown was one of the crew members on the aircraft. Alongside Brown, Marisol Rivas, Anthony Vásquez, and David Thomas Wise, all U.S. nationals and also crew members, were previously arrested and charged by prosecutors with international drug trafficking. Senad estimates the seized marijuana could fetch approximately $14,000 per kilogram in the Brazilian market. Intelligence suggests the plane's owner and pilot, Estonian citizen Keith Siilats, a co-founder of the mobility company Bolt Mobility, had already departed Paraguay before the interception.