The Capture and Weapons Seizure in Santa Cruz: Bolivia’s Operation against Drug Kingpin Sebastián Marset

Title: Bolivian Police Deploy Massive Operation to Capture Wanted Uruguayan Drug Kingpin

Subtitle: Raids in Santa Cruz lead to significant seizure of weapons and vehicles

Bolivia has launched a large-scale police operation aimed at apprehending Sebastián Enrique Marset Cabrera, a notorious drug lord wanted by multiple jurisdictions for various crimes, including the murder of Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci. The operation, which began on Saturday, has seen a series of raids in the Santa Cruz department, targeting Marset, described as a “high-value drug trafficker for our entire region and the entire world,” according to Minister of Government Eduardo del Castillo.

Over 2,250 police officers, accompanied by 144 motorized units, have been mobilized for this operation. Thus far, authorities have successfully conducted 23 operations and six raids, resulting in the arrest of 12 individuals. The police continued their efforts on Sunday, deploying dozens of officers throughout Santa Cruz in an ongoing pursuit of the fugitive.

In one exclusive neighborhood of the city, heavily armed uniformed officers, accompanied by prosecutors, conducted a search in a luxurious residence, hoping to uncover clues that could lead them to Marset. At the end of the day, Minister del Castillo announced that the raids had yielded significant results, including the seizure of 17 rifles, a pistol, 1,915 rounds of ammunition, bulletproof vests, 31 cars, a motorcycle, and several other vehicles.

Marset, who has various nationalities, is currently believed to be hiding in Santa Cruz along with his wife and three children. He has been on the run in Bolivia since September 2022, using the alias Luis Amorim. His capture is being pursued by Interpol, the DEA, as well as authorities in Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay.

While details of Marset’s activities in Bolivia remain under investigation, initial findings suggest that he entered the country in September 2022 and assumed various social roles, including owning a second-division soccer club.

Marset’s name has been linked to the murder of Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci, which took place in Colombia in May 2022. Two Colombian brothers were sentenced in May this year for their role in planning and financing the assassination. According to the Colombian prosecutor’s office, the brothers paid the hitman responsible for the shooting on a beach near Cartagena.

With prior links to drug trafficking spanning a decade, Marset had previously been detained in the United Arab Emirates for carrying false Paraguayan documentation. Following his release, he has evaded capture and continued to engage in criminal activities.

As the Bolivian police operation intensifies, authorities express confidence in Marset’s imminent apprehension. Updates on the progress of the operation will be forthcoming.

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