A 23-year-old Cuban man was sentenced to seven years in prison in Uruguay for drug trafficking after the police found nearly 22 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the trunk of the car he was driving in Lagomar, in the Canelones department.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday, October 13, just one day after his arrest, as confirmed by the Ministry of the Interior of Uruguay and the local media Teledoce.
The arrest took place on Monday, October 12, as part of Operation Roosevelt, an investigation into drug trafficking that Uruguayan authorities had been conducting for several months.
The agents were carrying out surveillance tasks when they detected a vehicle that was already linked to their investigations. Upon realizing the police presence, the driver attempted to flee but was intercepted just a few minutes later.
During the inspection of the vehicle, the officers discovered eight bricks and 24 half-bricks of cocaine, with a total weight of 21.865 kilograms.
The vehicle and a cell phone were also seized.
The detainee, whose identity was not disclosed by the authorities, had no criminal record.
Drugs valued at about 200,000 dollars
The Minister of the Interior of Uruguay, Carlos Negro, emphasized that the seized cocaine exhibited "a fairly high or very high level of purity" and estimated that its value in the country's illegal market could reach 200,000 dollars.
The official visited the headquarters of Zone III of Canelones along with the director of the National Police, José Azambuya, to learn about the results of the operation.
For his part, the police chief of Canelones, Fabio Quevedo, explained that the investigation remains open to determine the extent of the drug distribution activities related to the case.
The researchers are trying to determine whether the shipment was intended solely for the local market or if it would be transported to Montevideo.
"We believe that when she was moved, she was likely transferred to Montevideo," Quevedo noted while referring to one of the hypotheses considered by the authorities.
As part of the investigations, the Police conducted another raid related to the operation, during which they seized one kilogram of base paste and a replica firearm resembling a submachine gun.
The authorities noted that Operation Roosevelt had already led to the formal prosecution and sentencing of other individuals for drug-related offenses.
Negro emphasized that combating drug trafficking also requires investigating the destination of illicit profits.
"The flow of money is what truly deters criminals from engaging in drug trafficking," stated the minister.
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