The Paraguayan National Anti-Drug Secretariat (Senad) announced on Wednesday (16th) the remarkable results of the 49th "Operation New Alliance," a joint operation conducted with the Brazilian Federal Police (PF) in the border region with Brazil. Over the course of the intensive 10-day operation, 253 hectares of marijuana cultivation sites within Paraguay were destroyed, and an impressive amount of over 100.1 tons of harvested marijuana was seized and destroyed.
This operation was carried out extensively within Paraguayan territory near the arid border region with the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, an area difficult to access. According to Senad, the main operational areas included Itapopó, María Auxiliadora, Alpasa, and Ñe'ã.
The total amount of marijuana seized, combining both cultivated and harvested quantities, reached an enormous 859 tons. Senad estimated that this operation prevented approximately $25.7 million USD (about 35 billion Korean Won) worth of drugs based on Paraguayan local prices, and a staggering $128 million USD (about 175 billion Korean Won) based on Brazilian market prices, from entering the distribution network. This is assessed to have dealt a significant economic blow to Paraguayan drug trafficking organizations.
Furthermore, the operation resulted in the dismantling of over 170 facilities used as marijuana pressing camps, along with the eradication of marijuana seeds. This is significant in that it not only involved the seizure of drugs but also contributed to fundamentally disrupting the drug production and distribution infrastructure itself.
This successful operation was carried out under close cooperation between the Paraguayan National Anti-Drug Secretariat (Senad) and the Brazilian Federal Police (PF), with the support of military personnel from the Paraguayan Joint Task Force (FTC) also playing a crucial role. This is evaluated as an instance that reaffirms the strong anti-drug will and cooperative system of both governments.
The arid border region between Paraguay and the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, characterized by low population density and vast geographical features, has been exploited as a major marijuana cultivation area in Paraguay. In particular, many marijuana farms in this region are operated with funding and under the control of large-scale Brazilian criminal organizations, and the produced drugs are known to be mainly transported to major metropolitan areas in Brazil.
The large-scale success of this "Operation New Alliance" has inflicted serious damage on the activities of these cross-border drug trafficking organizations and served as an opportunity to once again imprint Paraguay's strong commitment to eradicating drugs on the international community. It is expected that Paraguay and Brazil will continue to strengthen their efforts to eradicate drug trafficking in the border region and ensure the safety of local communities through ongoing information sharing and cooperation.
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