Suspected drug kingpin caught with about 10 kilos of cocaine and three collaborators, including a Bolivian

In a significant blow to organized crime, Paraguayan anti-narcotics police have dismantled a key component of an emerging drug trafficking network. The operation, conducted near Caacupé, resulted in the capture of Luis Carlos Ramos Báez, believed to be a rising figure in the cocaine production and distribution chain, alongside his alleged chemist and two drug mules. The seizure of nearly 10 kilograms of high-purity cocaine hydrochloride is a testament to the diligent work of our law enforcement agencies.

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the Bolivian Hartbert Flores Tapia (24), would be the chemist of the network and the Paraguayans José Eduardo Florentín Espinoza (26) and Jonathan Kevin Duré (25), both based in the city of Ñemby, would be the "mules" of the criminal organization.

The arrested individuals include Hartbert Flores Tapia, a Bolivian national identified as the group's chemist, and two Paraguayans, José Eduardo Florentín Espinoza and Jonathan Kevin Duré, who allegedly served as drug mules. The operation also led to the confiscation of two vehicles, mobile phones, and crucial documents that are expected to provide further intelligence on the network's operations. This bust highlights the persistent challenge of transnational drug trafficking, with evidence suggesting the use of clandestine laboratories within Paraguay to process raw materials originating from Bolivia.

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the detainees form part of an emerging criminal organization dedicated to drug trafficking that has its base of operations in some part of the Central department, presumably between the municipalities of Ñemby and San Lorenzo.

Our anti-narcotics department indicates that this group likely operated from the Central department, possibly between the Ñemby and San Lorenzo municipalities. The modus operandi appears to involve transforming cocaine paste into hydrochloride and then distributing it in kilogram-sized batches, often marked with a distinctive dolphin symbol. The successful interception, which occurred as the suspects were traveling east on Route PY02, demonstrates the effectiveness of surveillance and rapid response tactics employed by the police. This operation is a crucial step in disrupting the flow of illicit drugs and ensuring the safety and security of our citizens.

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the narcos bring base paste from Bolivia and cook it in small clandestine laboratories until it is transformed into cocaine hydrochloride, which they press into one-kilo loaves that bear the drawing of a dolphin.