Paraguay seizes nearly 7 tons of marijuana bound for Brazil

Paraguayan security forces have intercepted a significant drug shipment, seizing almost 7 tons of marijuana intended for Brazil. The large quantity of narcotics was discovered stockpiled in a natural reserve managed by the Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam, a joint Paraguayan-Brazilian entity.

Naval prefect Milciades Coronel reported that the marijuana was divided into 299 bricks and was being stored near Itaipu Lake, within the protected Yvyty Rokai Natural Reserve in the Alto Paraná department. This region borders Argentina and Brazil, separated by the Paraná River. The operation followed intelligence work by the National Police.

Coronel indicated that no marijuana cultivation or processing labs were found within the reserve, suggesting the area served solely as a storage point for the contraband. He noted that the suspects fled upon the arrival of authorities due to the dense, wooded terrain of the reserve, which spans over 4,800 hectares and is difficult to access.

This seizure comes amid President Santiago Peña's intensified efforts against organized crime since he took office in August 2023. Peña highlighted that no cocaine seizures from Paraguay have been reported in European ports since his administration began, suggesting a potential impact on drug transit routes. Paraguay has long been identified by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime as a key transit country for cocaine to Europe and a major producer of marijuana in South America, particularly in its border regions with Brazil.