Independiente ultras leader detained in Argentina in ecstasy smuggling case
In Buenos Aires, Pablo “Bebote” Álvarez, the longtime leader of the football ultras group of Independiente club, was detained. As the Buenos Aires Times reports, the detention took place as part of an investigation into an international group suspected of smuggling ecstasy from Spain to Argentina.
Suspicions of drug smuggling
Argentina’s National Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva stated that Álvarez is suspected of belonging to a drug-trafficking criminal organization that transported drugs from Europe. Another member of Independiente’s ultras group, Raúl “Bruja” Manzone, was detained along with him.
Álvarez was detained at his residence, where he was under house arrest and wearing an electronic ankle monitor. This preventive measure was linked to another case involving clashes between Independiente ultras groups for control of the stands.
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Shipment from Barcelona
According to National Security Secretary Martín Ferlauto, the investigation began in June after 12 liters of liquid ecstasy hidden in olive oil cans were discovered at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires. The shipment arrived from Barcelona. The official noted that thousands of tablets can be produced from that quantity of pure liquid ecstasy, or MDMA.
Raids in Buenos Aires and Salta
During the first stage of the investigation, law enforcement conducted 27 raids in Buenos Aires and the northern province of Salta. Eleven people were detained, and drugs and evidence important to the investigation were seized. On Friday, another five raids were carried out, during which Álvarez and Manzone were detained. According to Ferlauto, both men may also be involved in operations to import large shipments of cocaine from Bolivia.
