DEA Takes Custody of Uruguayan Drug Kingpin Sebastian Marset After Bolivia Arrest
Bolivian authorities arrested alleged Uruguayan drug kingpin Sebastian Marset in an upscale neighborhood of Santa Cruz and handed him over Friday to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents under a U.S. court order and indictment from the Eastern District of Virginia. Marset, 34, had a $2 million U.S. bounty and was on the DEA’s most‑wanted fugitives list, accused of leading a large‑scale trafficking organization that moved “ton quantities” of cocaine from South America to Europe and laundered proceeds through lower‑tier professional soccer clubs where he even played and bought the iconic number 10 jersey. Bolivian officials said hundreds of officers took part in the operation, which comes just weeks after Mexican cartel boss Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes was killed and days after Bolivia joined a 17‑country anti‑cartel military alliance launched by President Trump. U.S. and Paraguayan investigators allege Marset’s network imported more than 16 tons of cocaine into Europe and that intercepted messages show him seeking advice on disposing of murdered rivals’ bodies, underscoring the brutality and reach of his organization. The case highlights intensifying U.S.-backed pressure on transnational cartels amid a regional cocaine boom that fuels U.S. overdose deaths and political tensions over cross‑border crime.
📌 Key Facts
- Sebastian Marset, a Uruguayan national on the DEA most-wanted list, was arrested Friday in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and handed to U.S. DEA agents at the airport.
- Marset carried a $2 million U.S. reward and is indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia for allegedly leading a network that moved ton quantities of cocaine from South America to Europe and laundered proceeds through soccer clubs.
- The large-scale operation involved hundreds of Bolivian police, came shortly after Bolivia joined a 17-country Trump-launched anti-cartel military alliance, and follows the recent killing of Mexican cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.
📊 Relevant Data
Coca bush cultivation in Bolivia increased by 10% in 2024 compared to 2023, reaching an estimated 34,000 hectares.
A new UNODC report shows that coca bush cultivation in Bolivia increased by 10% in 2024 compared to 2023 — UNODC (via Facebook)
Indigenous peoples account for about 44% of Bolivia's population but represent 75% of the multidimensionally poor people.
Poverty index reveals stark inequalities among ethnic groups — UNDP
Aymara and Quechua Indigenous Peoples represent about 90% of Bolivia's Indigenous population, and coca cultivation has deep cultural roots among these groups.
Conflicted over Coca — Transnational Institute
Coca cultivation in Bolivia was estimated at 20,400 hectares in 2015, increasing to 31,000 hectares in 2023 and 34,000 hectares in 2024, showing a trend of growth following political changes after 2019.
Bolivia's Coca Cultivation Climbs 4% in 2023 Tests Government — The Rio Times
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