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🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Who Is the Former Councilor Arrested Over Alleged Drug Trafficking Links to ‘Macho’?

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Under investigation
  • Paraguayan authorities arrested former Yby Pytá councilor Juan Antonio Villalba in Brítez Cue, Canindeyú, during an investigation known as Operation Ignis.
  • The National Anti-Drug Secretariat alleges that Villalba served as an important logistics operator for the organization allegedly led by fugitive Felipe Acosta, known as “Macho.”
  • Authorities say Villalba coordinated marijuana storage and may have provided political protection while serving as a councilor.

Juan Antonio Villalba, a former municipal councilor who had been wanted since 2023, was arrested in Brítez Cue in Paraguay’s Canindeyú department. Authorities accuse him of playing an important logistical role in the drug-trafficking organization allegedly led by Felipe Santiago Acosta, known as “Macho.”

an important logistics operator

· Jalil RachidParaguay’s anti-drug chief described Villalba’s alleged role in the organization.

The National Anti-Drug Secretariat and the Internal Defense Operations Command made the arrest as part of Operation Ignis. At a news conference, Anti-Drug Secretariat chief Jalil Rachid said Villalba had been moving clandestinely since an arrest order was issued in late 2023.

Villalba reportedly visited the house where he was arrested only occasionally. Rachid said military intelligence shared information with the anti-drug agency, allowing officers to anticipate one of those visits.

a kind of important logistics operator

· Jalil RachidRachid characterized the former councilor’s alleged function within Acosta’s criminal structure.

According to the minister, Villalba was “a kind of important logistics operator” in Acosta’s alleged structure. His main role was reportedly to coordinate the storage of marijuana used to generate income for the organization. Rachid also said one of Villalba’s daughters had an intermittent romantic relationship with Acosta.

political protection

· Jalil RachidThe minister described what authorities allege Villalba provided to suspected accomplices while in office.

The authorities further allege that Villalba provided “political protection” to suspected accomplices while he served as a councilor in Yby Pytá. Rachid said the house where Villalba was captured had served as a “logistical and operational site” when the criminal structure attributed to Acosta was at its peak.

logistical and operational site

· Jalil RachidRachid described the function authorities attribute to the house where Villalba was arrested.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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