Overview
- Federal Chamber Sala II judges Martín Irurzun and Roberto Boico approved a reduction of Piccirillo’s preventive detention, allowing house arrest.
- The ruling provides for electronic monitoring and leaves any real-collateral bond and additional restrictions to be set by Judge Sebastián Casanello and the prosecution.
- Piccirillo had been held in Ezeiza since March under preventive detention on charges including coercive kidnapping, aggravated drug transport, aggravated concealment, and illegal firearm possession.
- Prosecutors allege he orchestrated a fabricated police operation to plant about 1.2 kilos of cocaine and a 9mm pistol in creditor Francisco Hauque’s car to stifle a debt of roughly $6–6.5 million.
- Also processed are comisario Iván Helguero, ex-officer Carlos Smith, and six officers from the City Police, with a cooperating policeman describing prior knowledge of drugs and a weapon in the targeted vehicle.