Marcio Sánchez, 34, known by the alias “Avocado” is one of the most wanted people in Paraguay, as he is accused of being the head of a gang of hit men who committed more than 50 murders.
Marcio, started at the bottom in the criminal underworldfirst being in the service of other drug bosses who operated in the area of the department of Amambay, his cunning and cruelty, positioned him among the mafiosi and he was soon recruited by Jorge Rafaat, a drug trafficker who dominated the dry border and that he had his base of operations in Pedro Juan Caballero.
Rafaat, was the capo of capos, nothing moved in the area without his authorization. An anecdote told by a police chief indicated that an alcoholic beverage smuggler told him that in order to bring his merchandise from Brazil and pass it off as Pedro Juan, he had to ask Rafaat for permission. With the “blessing” of the drug boss he was finally able to do it without being bothered by other smugglers.
Gudelia Vargas, wife of “Avocado” will continue to be imprisoned. PHOTO FGE.
As it is known, accumulating power also leads to accumulating enemies and Jorge Rafaat already had many, but one last and perhaps the most dangerous was added, the First Capital Command (PCC) that no longer saw favorably asking for permits or favors from the “godfather” of the border, so it opened up and began to do its business on account. That unleashed, as was not to be expected otherwise, in Jorge’s anger, who started a war with this group.
The bitterness was so great that blood began to flow on both sides, but PCC members already wanted to see Rafaat dead and they began to plan the attack. On two occasions Rafaat managed to escape unharmed, because the man moved with brutal security. After getting out alive the last time he had told the drug boss that if they came to kill him with 40 men, he would have 80 to defend him.
The message came through loud and clear to the PCC, which was mounting a third attempt to eliminate its enemy. Jorge Rafaat really had a great security system, always escorted by many men all armed with powerful assault rifles. But, when force is not possible, he always resorts to another more powerful weapon, betrayal.
effectively On June 16, 2016, when Jorge Rafaat was moving through the streets of Pedro Juan Caballero escorted by more than 20 men, upon reaching a corner with a traffic light, he was surprised by a group of hired assassins. who opened fire on the narco’s van. Jorge Rafaat was shot to death, but his guards were unharmed, since they were abandoned to their fate.
In a video it is seen how Rafaat’s guards run from the place and leave their boss to his fate, who died on the spot. It is believed that the one who “sold” Rafaat was Marcio Sánchez, who at that time was already a strong figure among the hitmen and it is said that “Avocado” agreed with the members of the PCC to hand over his boss and create an alliance with them. , to bring the peace that was broken with the rules that Jorge had set.
Since 2016 Sánchez began to build the foundations of his own criminal organization that he would be at the service of the PCC and of all those who pay for their gunmen to commit the attacks.
Among the most outstanding facts, the “Avocado” gang is pointed out as those who committed the murder of Haylee Carolina Acevedo, daughter of the governor of Amambay Ronald Acevedo, the crime of the mayor of Pedro Juan Caballero José Carlos Acevedo. Also the crime of the journalist Humberto Coronel and others.
“Avocado” led his criminal organization for six years and is credited with more than 50 homicides among which are mostly drug traffickers. Sánchez became a skillful triggerman who was taking out of circulation all the enemies that the PCC had, that is why he managed to get hold of an immense fortune.
Operative “Persea”
On June 15, police officers and the prosecution launched the “Persea” operation. in the department of Amambay, it consisted of the deployment of more than 100 uniformed personnel to carry out some 20 simultaneous raids with the objective of arresting Marcio Sánchez, however, managed to escape the police siege.
In more than 20 raids, Sánchez’s wife and brother-in-law were arrested. Photo courtesy.
Those who could not escape were Gudelia Vargas Armoa, wife of “Avocado” and her brother-in-law Edison Vargas Armoa, who were detained in ranches that are in the name of the head of hit men. In the procedures, the agents found documents that showed that Sánchez, his partner and his brother-in-law were owners of ranches and cattle valued at millions of dollars.
The prosecutor Osmar Legal, who led the operation, had indicated that they crossed the data of the assets that Sánchez, his wife and brother-in-law had, but they did not find any income in the financial system of money as a result of any work, so it follows that everything they had acquired illegally.
That’s why the three were charged with money laundering from the hitmanIn the case of Marcio Sánchez, he has an arrest warrant and the other two are in prison. Despite the fact that Marcio Sánchez is a fugitive, the police continue to carry out operations in search of capturing him, but the man moves with great skill and for the moment he has not been arrested, but official information indicates that he continues to move in the north of the country.
This is the story of a man who, from being a simple gunman, rose through the criminal world to lead one of the most feared gangs of hitmen on the border.
