Paraguay Exposes Major Drug Ring Using Clandestine Airstrips to Ship Cocaine to Europe

Paraguay finds itself once again at the center of international attention, this time due to the intricate details of a major drug trafficking network exposed by the Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation targets not only alleged operatives but also reconstructs the sophisticated modus operandi of a criminal organization led by Sebastián Marset and Miguel Ángel Insfrán, known as Tío Rico. Their ambition: to flood European and African markets with cocaine originating from South America.

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The structure combined Bolivian suppliers, clandestine airstrips in the Paraguayan Chaco, large-capacity trucks, and export companies.

The operation, as laid out in the accusation against Marset's former partner, Gianina García Troche, reveals a complex logistical chain. It involved Bolivian suppliers providing the illicit substance, clandestine airstrips carved out in the remote Chaco region of Paraguay, and a network of properties used as collection points. From there, the cocaine was moved via large trucks and through seemingly legitimate export companies, a common tactic to disguise illegal activities. The scale of this operation is staggering, with significant seizures in Belgium and the Netherlands alone accounting for over 17,000 kilograms of cocaine, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Loads discovered in Belgium and the Netherlands totaled 17,340 kilos of cocaine, valued at up to US$433.5 million for the European market.

This exposé highlights a disturbing alliance with three key components: Marset's established criminal contacts, Insfrán's trusted inner circle managing domestic logistics, and a Bolivian faction responsible for supplying the drugs. Marset reportedly handled coordination with international buyers, while Insfrán managed the intricate network within Paraguay. The report details Marset's entry into Paraguay around 2018, using falsified Brazilian and Bolivian documents under the alias Gabriel de Souza Beumer. He presented himself as an entertainment entrepreneur through Mastian Productions, a clear facade to legitimize his presence and wealth.

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Marset coordinated with suppliers and international buyers, while Insfrán activated the logistics within Paraguay.

From Paraguay's perspective, as reported by El País, the involvement of clandestine airstrips and rural estancias as operational hubs is a recurring theme in drug trafficking cases. The specific mention of the San Agustín and Nuevo Horizonte estancias, equipped with unauthorized runways, hangars, and facilities for nighttime landings, underscores the deep penetration of criminal elements into rural areas. The reliance on both air and land transport, moving drugs from Bolivia across Paraguay and then onward to international destinations, demonstrates a high level of organization and audacity. This case is not just about drug seizures; it's a stark reminder of the persistent challenges Paraguay faces in combating transnational organized crime that exploits its geography and resources.

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The narco began frequenting the country in 2018 and later used false documents, Brazilian and Bolivian, under the identity of Gabriel de Souza Beumer.