Friends in high places: Rich narcos caught with powerful politicians

Surprising people revealed by police as alleged narcos include a multi-millionaire racehorse owner, a politically well-connected owner of an armored car company, and a wealthy tobacco executive who escaped arrest seconds before police rushed in. Some had friends in high places.

The Mob Reporter here with news of a large operation spanning ten countries, with police corralling 10 tonnes of coke and making 30 arrests. The fallout is still being felt — after investigations unveiled relationships between two senior government ministers in Parguay and those arrested and considered by authorities to be “high value targets.” Two government ministers were ousted and spark corruption concerns over ties between politics, police and narcos.

The alleged ring itself was a logistical wonder — active in Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and United Arab Emirates. An international task force was set up to dismantle it. In Brazil, Paraguay, and Spain, about 40 locations were raided and searched with more than 30 people arrested.

One of the masterminds behind it, police alleged, was a wealthy Brazilian entrepreneur who was investing money hand-over-fist in thoroughbred racehorses: Cristiano Mendes de Cordova Nascimento. Another, police alleged, is Marcus Vinicius Espíndola Marqués de Padua, owner of Black Eagle, an armor car and ballistic technology and security company in Paraguay.

His arrest revealed his relationship with Arnaldo Giuzzio, Paraguay’s minister in charge of policing and security. The minister was fired. On Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, there was another huge probe unveiled in Paraguay — which seems to be linked to the first and also ensnared a government minister.

The National Emergency minister Joaquín Roa was fired after it was revealed by local media his yacht was seized. It was bought from Alberto “Beto” Koube, an apparent friend of the minister’s, who was granted government contracts and whose brother is a politician. Koube was arrested, alleged to be a kingpin.

All allegations at this stage, of course, have not yet been tested in court. That will come. And maybe we’ll get answers. And maybe a whole lot of questions.