The National Gendarmerie seized more than six tons of coca leaves in Córdoba after stopping a truck coming from Salta. The driver was arrested during the operation in the town of James Craik, in the center of the province, but hours later was released. The cargo, valued at more than 405 million pesos, was discovered in the semi-trailer of the truck heading from Salta to La Plata on the Rosario-Cordoba highway.
The Gendarmerie officers detected the coca leaves in their natural state hidden in 300 bundles. Trained dogs and members of the "Villa María" Road Security Squadron participated in the operation to request the vehicle's detention and account for the merchandise. It is presumed that the cargo entered the country from Bolivia, the world's leading producer of coca, and was intended for consumption in ancestral practices of communities in northern Argentina.
By order of the Federal Court of First Instance of Villa María, the corresponding proceedings were opened for alleged violation of Law 22.415. The merchandise was seized and the driver was released, but his situation remains pending the development of the case.
