Suspect arrested, allegedly counterfeit tirzepatide seized in Paraguay

An operation in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, has led to the arrest of a suspect and the seizure of a significant quantity of allegedly counterfeit tirzepatide, a popular weight-loss medication. The raid was conducted by agents from the Department of International Police Cooperation Agreements and Conventions, a division of the Tripartite Command.

The operation stemmed from an information exchange between Paraguayan and Brazilian police, targeting a suspected network involved in the falsification of tirzepatide-based slimming drugs. A 29-year-old man, identified as Mathias Daniel Julián Riveros Bordón, was detained. Authorities have also identified several other individuals believed to be part of the network, for whom international arrest warrants will be sought due to their cross-border operations in Paraguay and Brazil.

During the operation, officers confiscated 1,000 packages containing 4,000 sealed vials of "Tirzepatida T.G. 15 mg" injectable medication. The estimated value of the seized drugs is G. 1,680,000,000 (approximately $225,000 USD), representing a substantial blow to the counterfeit and smuggling ring. Evidence suggests the falsification occurs in Ciudad del Este before the products are smuggled into Brazil.

The arrest and seizure were carried out as part of an investigation into the sale of harmful medications. The case has been communicated to prosecutor Luis Trinidad Colmán, who ordered the detainee to be held at the Alto Paraná Police Directorate. The demand for tirzepatide has fueled a black market along the Paraguay-Brazil border, with falsifiers, smugglers, and thieves reportedly turning the drug into a lucrative commodity for organized crime.