Two Bolivians detained in Argentina for attempting to smuggle aircraft

Federal Justice in Salta, Argentina, has ordered 80 days of pre-trial detention for two Bolivian nationals accused of attempting to smuggle an aircraft. The men were detained after being caught conducting unauthorized flights from Salta province.

The accused, identified by their initials C.M.P., 46, and D.M.A., 40, face charges of operating without aeronautical authorization and attempted qualified smuggling. The investigation began on July 9 when airport security detected a Cessna 210 landing with flight plan inconsistencies. Prosecutors allege the men conducted an unauthorized 35-minute test flight before abandoning the aircraft.

National Gendarmerie officers intercepted the suspects at a roadblock. During the operation, authorities seized the aircraft's keys, valued at approximately $150,000, along with mobile phones and fuel canisters. While initial tests found no controlled substances on the plane, analysis of the mobile devices revealed flight videos and conversations about offering other aircraft.

A significant factor in the detention order was the pilot's prior criminal record. C.M.P. was previously convicted in Paraguay in 2010 for trafficking 440 kilograms of cocaine, a sentence he later completed in Bolivia. Argentine authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the aircraft's intended destination and whether the suspects were part of a larger smuggling network.