FBIS4-34836 "drlat122_l_94001"
FBIS-LAT-94-122 Daily Report 19 Jun 1994
Bolivia

Three Drug Trafficking Rings Dismantled

Three Drug Trafficking Rings Dismantled PY2306212094 La Paz PRESENCIA in Spanish 19 Jun 94 p 7 PY2306212094 La Paz PRESENCIA Spanish BFN [Text] Antidrug "Operation Trebol" was conducted on 23 May in Santa Cruz. Three international traffickers organizations were dismantled, hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets were seized, and 23 presumed traffickers were caught. According to the writ issued on 13 June by the lower court of controlled substances in La Paz, 15 of the 23 individuals arrested have been taken to the maximum security prison in Chonchocoro. During the operation 84,500 grams of cocaine were seized. Judges Victor Lopez Alcala and Renan Moreno Aviles filed against Luis Alberto Arteaga Seleme and Iver Daza Suarez, for manufacturing, trafficking, and transporting cocaine. They are also accused of illegal association to commit crime and are being held at the Chonchocoro prison. The judges also filed against Emilio Arce Vidal, Robin Rosales Agreda, Horario Arroyo Bonilla, and Ruddy Yassir Pedrazas Suarez. They are accused of manufacturing and trafficking cocaine, and of illegal association to commit crime. The following, who are at large, are also accused of the same crime: Juan Carlos Araoz Antelo, Johnny Lara, Clider Matienzo Rodriguez, Victor Rosales Agreda, Johnny Rosales Agreda, Fernando Cadario Garrido, Carlos Alfonso Gutierrrez, and Freddy Eguez. The antidrug judges also began criminal proceedings against Juan Rosales Agreda who is accused of murder, cocaine trafficking, and association to commit crime, while Luis Fernando Bascope Rivera is accused of cocaine trafficking and association to commit crime. The following are accused of the same crime: Alcides Bascope Chavez, Wilfredo Rosales Agreda, Pedro Fernandez Barrientos, Elvio Cespedes Anez, Mario Antonio Artega Seleme, and Medardo Vargas Callau. William Rosales Suarez is accused of participating in trafficking and manufacturing of cocaine, and association to commit crime. The judges issued an arrest warrant against the eight people who are still at large. The Ministry of Government, through its specialized organizations, is ordered to catch them. The writ of indictment was forwarded to the La Paz Superior Court for approval, according to current legal dispositions. Antidrug judge Justino Ugarte expressed satisfaction over the 2d. Court decision and said the Superior Court must ratify the measures. "The Superior Criminal Court must approve the indictment issued by the antidrug judges who filed the accusation based on evidence of involvement," the criminal prosecutor said. Beside dismantling three trafficking organizations, "Operation Trebol" allowed the seizure of assets estimated at several hundred thousand of dollars. The following properties were seized in Santa Cruz: properties on Mutualista Avenue and Paragua Street, at 605 Cotoca Canal, at Km 12 of the old highway to Cochabamba, on the corner of the third beltway and Pedro Rivera Mendez Street, at the "Suto" condominium, on San Aurelio Avenue, and on Virgen de Cotoca Avenue. According to the seizure records, 38 assorted vehicles were seized at two urban properties -- Aurelio and Cotoca. The police seized 22 vehicles at "Cotoca Automobile Sales," among them trucks, tractors, automobiles, vans, jeeps, and pickups. Likewise, 16 vehicles were seized at "San Aurelio Automobile Sales." Nine other automobiles were seized in different places.