Accused Latin American drug lord arrives in U.S. after years on the run

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Alleged Latin American narco trafficker Sebastian Marset made his archetypal quality successful a U.S. tribunal connected Monday aft being handed implicit to the American authorities.

Marset, 34, a Uruguayan national, faces wealth laundering conspiracy charges connected with his alleged cocaine trafficking organization.

Marset, who eluded constabulary for years, was captured successful Bolivia past week and transferred to U.S. custody.

Marset, who is the astir notorious cause baron successful the confederate portion of South America, had a $2 cardinal U.S. bounty connected his caput for alleged wealth laundering. An indictment unsealed successful the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges Marset "leads a large-scale cause trafficking enactment that is believed to beryllium liable for moving tons of cocaine from South America to Europe, portion generating tens of millions successful currency and proceeds," according to the DEA.

The Justice Department said helium made an archetypal quality connected Monday successful a national territory tribunal successful Virginia.

Marset is accused of starring a large-scale cause trafficking enactment that distributed thousands of pounds of cocaine to Europe. According to court documents, Marset's cause trafficking enactment allegedly traffics cocaine successful Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and elsewhere.

The soccer-loving Marset allegedly laundered the proceeds of his cause endeavor by purchasing and sponsoring lower-level nonrecreational shot teams crossed Latin America and Europe -- and adjacent enactment himself successful the starting lineups.

He was imprisoned successful his autochthonal Uruguay for cause trafficking betwixt 2013 and 2018 and aboriginal moved astir South America, surviving for a clip successful Bolivia and Paraguay.

The Bolivian authorities announced connected Monday the seizure of immoderate $15 cardinal successful assets from Marset, including 16 planes, 5 houses and firearms.

Federico Ezequiel Santoro Vassallo, a adjacent subordinate of Marset, was sentenced to 15 years successful situation by a U.S. tribunal successful July aft pleading blameworthy to wealth laundering.

"Santoro and, allegedly, Marset threatened unit to support their drug-trafficking and wealth laundering activities," national prosecutors said.

Marset could look up to 20 years successful situation if convicted of wealth laundering conspiracy.

Imitating shot stars

A Washington Post illustration from 2024 said Marset paid $10,000 successful currency to deterioration the fig 10 jersey worn by shot icons Pele, Maradona and Messi during his teams' games.

He stamped his cause shipments "The King of the South," the Post added, and gave orders for cocaine to beryllium stashed successful shipments of cookies and soybeans.

He had been connected the tally since July 2023, erstwhile fled his location successful Santa Cruz, connected the eve of a monolithic constabulary cognition to seizure him.

Accused cause kingpin Marset is arrested successful Bolivia, transferred to U.S.

Bolivia's center-right President Rodrigo Paz thanked "international organizations from assorted neighboring countries and the continent" connected Friday for their practice successful his capture.

Paz has sought to boost ties with the United States since winning bureau past twelvemonth successful elections that ended 2 decades of socialist regularisation begun nether Indigenous coca husbandman Evo Morales.

Bolivia's is the world's 3rd largest shaper of cocaine, which is made from coca leaves.

Mrset's apprehension camee conscionable weeks aft notorious cartel person Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, also known arsenic "El Mencho," was killed during an cognition successful Mexico. He had a $15 million U.S. bounty connected his caput and was killed successful a subject shootout.

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