New details of the special operation for the arrest of persons indicted for drug smuggling were announced by the Russian ambassador to Argentina. I’ll remind you, that almost 400 kilograms of cocaine were found in a supply closet of the embassy school.
Vitaly Karmazin investigated who was part of the criminal group and how was it possible to close off the secreted channel for cocaine shipments.
At the Argentinian Ezeiza Airport, the local police detain their colleague, a migrant with a Russian heritage, Ivan Bliznyuk. The man had worked in the Buenos Aires police for many years. He worked at the International Cooperation Department and, as it turned out, was engaged in secret drug smuggling. At least 5 more people participated in the criminal scheme. They sold cocaine. They used a supply closet of the Russian embassy school as a transfer point. It was there that in December 2016, 12 suitcases with bags with cocaine were found. Our channel learned it from an exclusive interview with the Russian ambassador to Argentina, Viktor Koronelli.
"It wasn't the embassy, though some media say so. No, it's not the embassy, it's a separate building. which is several blocks away from the Russian embassy in Buenos Aires. These suitcases with cargo were brought there with the participation of our embassy's technical staff member who had access to the premises".
Right after that, the ambassador reported to Moscow. Later, he and three FSB employees contacted the Argentinian Security Minister, Patricia Bullrich.
Martín Ocampo, Buenos Aires Ministry of Justice and Security head: "The ambassador and his people contacted Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, thus starting the investigation, as they put bugs and learned more information about the group and decided to take control of the situation. What was this control about? Replacing the drug with flour".
To find the sender in Argentina and the receiver in Russia, the two countries' security forces decided to use a trick and replace the contents of the bags. They only had the night to perform this difficult move, as the bags had to be back by 6 a.m.
Patricia Bullrich, Argentinian Security Minister: "At 3 a.m., we had to order the gendarmery staff to buy flour at the central market, as no warehouse had 389 kilograms of flour in stock. We even had no money to buy it. But the problem was solved, the flour was bought, we made the same bags and prepared the suitcases with flour".
The drugs were thought to arrive in Moscow and be transported to Germany from there. According to some data, 1 gram of cocaine costs 10,000 roubles in Russia. It's approximately 150 euros. Because of its high cost, cocaine isn't popular among drug addicts in Russia. It's almost impossible to sell such a big batch. This proves the version that Russia was a transit point when transferring the drug from Argentina to Europe.
After Ivan Bliznyuk was arrested, the police detained some more people. This is the final stage of the operation. We see an expensive Nissan with lucky 555 plates on a snowy parking lot. It has those same bags with flour in the trunk. Three people were to receive them. Technical employee Ali Abyanov was among the arrested. He brought the suitcases to the embassy's territory.
Maria Zakharova, MFA spokeswoman: "As a result of the operation, the shipment channel has been blocked. We’d like to highlight the highly effective interaction between the Russian and Argentinean law enforcement agencies during the operation, including with Argentina’s Ministry of Security and Minister Patricia Bullrich".
But the successful completion of the operation caused insinuation. Some media stated that the drugs were to be transported by diplomatic mail. This was confuted both in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy in Argentina.
Viktor Koronelli: "The mail is transported in special bags, packages. They are locked with special locks. They are sealed with special wax seals. Diplomatic mail is accompanied by diplomatic couriers. They have corresponding courier lists. It can't be done, it's impossible".
Other media, triggered by this photo published by the Argentinian side, stated that a special flight unit plane participated in the final stage of the operation. Later, in the interview with the TASS agency, the President's Affairs Department Press Secretary Elena Krylova confuted this data.
"Journalists made their conclusions based on untrue information, in this case, it was a photo which, thanks to modern technologies, can be easily faked".
This special operation was already called one of the biggest in the newest history of Russia. The special service employees managed to not only block the secret cocaine shipment channel but also damage the drug mafia finances. The confiscated 400 kilograms of cocaine cost 50 million dollars. The FSB of Russia reported that one more man is on the wanted list.
"Currently, work is underway to bring to criminal responsibility the organizer of the criminal group, hiding in Germany, who was declared internationally wanted by Interpol".
As for the participants in the criminal group detained in Russia and Argentina, they've already been arrested.
Vitaly Karmazin, Ivan Litomin, Vesti, Call Center.
