Uruguay convicts three for marijuana exports to Brazil with PCC gang

Uruguayan prosecutors have secured convictions against three individuals involved in the illicit export of marijuana to Brazil, operating in conjunction with members of the powerful Brazilian criminal group, Primer Comando de la Capital (PCC).

The convictions are linked to "Operation Sicily," a police operation conducted by the Montevideo Departmental Anti-Drug Brigade. The operation included five simultaneous raids across Montevideo, Canelones, and Maldonado, leading to the arrests of Uruguayan nationals.

In a simplified proceeding, one individual received a sentence of four years and four months in prison for repeated offenses of drug export, money laundering, and aggravated receiving stolen goods. Investigations continue for two other men, facing sentences for assisting drug trafficking activities and supplying prohibited substances. A fourth detainee was placed in preventive detention until February 2027.

Beyond marijuana, the raids yielded significant seizures, including 747 MDMA (ecstasy) pills, 40 grams of crystal meth, and 356 grams of cocaine. Authorities also confiscated over $10,000 in various currencies, a van, ten mobile phones, five laptops, two precision scales, and a cryptocurrency management key. A parcel of land and facilities in a rural area of Canelones were also ordered to be confiscated by the court.