Authorities in Paraguay recently announced the interception of a staggering four tons of cocaine, marking the country’s largest cocaine bust to date as reported by the Associated Press. The illicit substance, valued at around $240 million, was ingeniously concealed within a shipment of sugar destined for Belgium.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Sweetness,” unfolded when Paraguay’s anti-drug agency, Senad, initiated inspections on shipping containers filled with 40-kilogram (88-pound) bags of sugar at Puerto Caacupemi, a river port in Asunción.
This significant seizure reflects ongoing efforts to combat Paraguay’s emerging role as a key player in the global drug trade. In a previous operation in 2019, authorities had seized over two tons of cocaine, marking the largest bust at that time.
While the origin of the confiscated cocaine remains unclear, Paraguay doesn’t produce the drug domestically. Nearby countries like Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru are known for their coca plant cultivation, the primary source of cocaine.
According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data, Colombia accounts for the majority of global coca cultivation, followed by Peru and Bolivia. Paraguayan President Santiago Peña has pledged to heighten port security to deter drug trafficking and expressed optimism that Operation Sweetness will discourage would-be traffickers.
In recent years, Paraguay has grappled not only with escalating drug activity but also an increase in contraband smuggling, including cigarettes and luxury items.
Francisco Ayala, a Senad spokesperson, highlighted Paraguay’s vulnerability to organized crime due to its strategic location near major cocaine producers and its extensive river system, making it an attractive trafficking route.
Meanwhile, the government of Paraguay, in collaboration with UNODC, is addressing the growing menace of synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances, such as synthetic opioids. Authorities are particularly concerned about the health risks posed by these substances, often disguised or mixed with other drugs.
A workshop is scheduled in the near future to devise strategies in partnership with UNODC to combat the rising threat of synthetic drugs in Paraguay.