More than 2 billion pesos worth of cocaine paste was hidden in the body of a truck that a lone driver was trying to take out of the region to Santiago. The drugs were detected by inspectors from the Chilean National Customs Service at the Quillagua outpost (north) using non-invasive technology.
El Regional Director of the Iquique Customs, Cristian Molina Silva, indicated that during the cargo and vehicle control work carried out at the Quillagua outpost, "a truck that was trying to leave the region bound for Santiago was inspected using non-invasive technology. In this way, the X-rays of the scanner truck allowed us to establish that the structure was modified and concealed organic elements, so it was dismantled."
The inspectors intervened in different parts of the van, finding a total of 173 packages of different sizes and shapes that in total contained 133 kilos 520 grams of cocaine paste.
Molina Silva said that the illegal cargo could reach a value higher than $2 billion pesos (USD 2,5 million) on the illicit market “and its method of concealment compromised a large part of the vehicle.”
The drugs, along with the accused and the various means of evidence, were handed over via chain of custody to the police on duty for safekeeping and transfer.
The arrest control was carried out in the Court of Letters and Guarantee of Pozo Almonte and the prosecutor Javier Gutiérrez Figueroa formalized LERE (48) for illicit drug trafficking in the degree of author. The judge (s) Carlos Campos Calderón considered that the arrest was adjusted to law and decreed the precautionary measure of preventive detention during the 120 days that he set as the investigation period.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
