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Pilots Arrested After Bolivian-Registered Drug Plane Crashes in Salta; Total Seizure Hits 364 Kilos

Investigators now count 364 kilograms seized, with forensic work on the aircraft’s electronics guiding leads to a wider trafficking network.

Overview

  • Federal authorities uncovered a buried cache of roughly 228 kilos near the wreck, adding to about 136 kilos found in the plane for a confirmed total of 364 kilos of cocaine.
  • Two Bolivian pilots were detained at the Rosario de la Frontera bus terminal and, along with local suspects held earlier, bring arrests in the case to four, according to provincial and federal reports.
  • The light aircraft, carrying Bolivian registration, went down Tuesday near San Felipe with no injuries reported; early tests suggest a possible mechanical failure, though the cause remains under investigation.
  • At the scene, investigators found a burned vehicle, a nearby clandestine strip reportedly used for pickup by two trucks that fled, and evidence including GPS units and a satellite antenna.
  • The case is led by fiscal Eduardo Villalba with PSA, Gendarmería and Salta police conducting searches and peritajes under Judge Mariela Giménez, including analysis of brick packages marked “Prada.”