The government of Javier Milei dealt a decisive blow to international drug trafficking with Operation Lusitania, an intelligence and cooperation deployment that enabled the seizure of 510 kilograms (1,124 pounds) of cocaine hidden inside an industrial lathe and the arrest of nine members of a criminal organization with connections in Argentina, Peru, and Spain. The Minister of National Security, Patricia Bullrich, was responsible for announcing the operation in a press conference filled with details and forcefulness.
The investigation, which began in June of this year, detected that an industrial lathe from Peru—which should have weighed 3,500 kilos (7,716 pounds)—was listed in the export documentation as 4,000 kilos (8,818 pounds) declared, a difference that correplied to the 444 bricks of cocaine hidden inside. After meticulous monitoring and coordination among agencies from the three countries, the machinery was inspected in Spain, where the illicit cargo was discovered. Simultaneously, raids carried out on both continents enabled the seizure of money, electronic devices, and key documentation to dismantle the criminal modus operandi.
Bullrich highlighted the impact of the operation and the strength of the international effort: "I want to especially acknowledge our colleagues from the agencies in Spain and also our Peruvian brothers. Together, Argentina, Peru, and Spain achieved a very important result in the fight against criminal organizations that attempt to operate from Latin America and reach the European continent. This investigation began in June and today concludes successfully: 510 kilos (1,124 pounds) of cocaine seized, nine arrested, and a modus operandi dismantled from start to finish", she stated.
