April 29, 2024, 4:00 AM
April 29, 2024, 4:00 AM
In the first four months of this year, the presence in Bolivia of foreign citizens linked to drug trafficking crimes has increased, compared to 2023, according to a preliminary assessment of the Ministry of Government.
These are citizens wanted in their countries for drug trafficking crimes, as happened in 2023 with Sebastián Marset, one of the most wanted in the region, but who managed to evade the controls of the country and other nations.
According to the information accessed by EL DEBER, throughout 2023 he was placed in the custody of neighboring authorities. to 16 citizens, a figure very close to the 14 people linked to international trafficking of narcotics that “were placed on the border” in the first four months of the year
The trend, as explained by the authorities, is higher compared to 2023. Since Marset fled at the end of July last year, the controls “They are more effective,” commented the Police.
But according to this quarter’s report, the majority of criminals who were extradited in 2023 are Brazilians, belonging to criminal gangs such as the First Capital Command (PCC), Red Command. They appeared in the Federal Police of Brazil cas ringleaders in vehicle theft and directly involved in cases of homicides and settling scores that have to do “with the collection of fees” for cocaine trafficking.
The rest of those expelled are Argentine, Mexican and Peruvian nationals. Among those recognized as extradited was Igor Oliveira de Campos (28), alias ‘Iraq’, identified as leader of the PCC in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
The search to find the whereabouts of this subject was delicate and high risk, because, according to the Brazilian Federal Police controlled businesses linked to drug trafficking and arms trafficking between San Matías and Caceres. In addition, he had other Brazilian emissaries and hitmen under his command.
Another “heavyweight” extradited was Jesuilson Pereira Gómez, leader of the PCC. He had five arrest warrants for kidnapping, threats to political authorities, corruption of minors, among others. The man was serving preventive detention in the El Abra prison, Cochabamba, and his transfer to Santa Cruz and then heading to Brazil took place under strong police guard.
Among the 16 expelled was the Mexican citizen Héctor René Gueta Carrillo, who was escorted to the border with Peru where he was required by that country’s justice system. He is accused of drug trafficking charges.
Most of the people who were wanted in their respective countries were found in Bolivia, mainly Santa Cruz, a place to be able to even live a life in society. The same thing had happened with Marset.
Criminologist Gabriela Reyes expressed her fear about the trends reflected in these figures. He considered that, little by little, the country “is becoming a sanctuary for drug traffickers.” He considered that the Government, with Marset’s escape, sent “a worrying message of impunity” to international organized crime.
“The message was: A drug trafficker with a red Interpol seal, even if he has another identity, can live here without any problem, taking their children to school and buying goods in their names. If it has not been the notice from Uruguay and the Paraguayan Police and the subsequent pressure, the reaction in Bolivia did not arrive,” he added.
Reyes also indicated that it is easier for criminals to settle in the country, since it is not investigated how they entered, what links they had with citizens. The technical investigation, he stressed, is limited to sending these suspects to the judicial authorities.
The Government and the Police allege that controls have always existed, but in many cases, Drug traffickers’ resources are greater in rural areas and the borders where they enter to national territory.
The Minister of Government, Eduardo Del Castillo, reported that in February there was even crossfire in a large-scale operation. At that time, Del Castillo reported that law enforcement captured “a drug trafficking whale.” which was reduced by tactical groups of the Department of Criminal Analysis and Intelligence (DACI) in San Rafael de Velasco.
In that operation, some criminals managed to escape, but Lourival Máximo de Fonseca, who had been wanted since the 1990s, fell. Serbian citizen Zarko Pilipovic was also arrested and later expelled. a dangerous element linked to international mafias.
One of the most recent expulsions was Maicol Deyvi Liñán Arroyo. He was wanted in his country accused of the crimes of doping, drug trafficking, rape and homicide. It happened this April. Del Castillo insisted on the need to strengthen the mechanisms for exchanging information “in real time” with the rest of the anti-drug police forces.
“What we want to create is an international organization, we are already talking with several countries in the region to be able to exchange information on criminal organizations. “This organization will allow us to exchange information in real time so that operations are timely,” the authority detailed.
The minister also requested an agreement with Europol, but it is an issue that is still being processed. “We have started a dialogue between Europol, the European Union and the Bolivian State to comply with an information exchange agreement,” said the EU ambassador, Michael Dóczy, in a previous interview with EL DEBER.
