Latin American drug kingpin wanted by U.S. is arrested in Bolivia

Notorious Latin American narco trafficker Sebastian Marset, who eluded constabulary for years, was handed implicit to U.S. authorities aft his apprehension Friday successful Bolivia.

Marset, a Uruguayan nationalist who was on the U.S.' most-wanted fugitives list, was passed to agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration astatine Santa Cruz airport, past enactment connected a U.S. airplane, authorities tv showed.

"The apprehension and deportation were carried retired pursuant to a tribunal bid issued by the U.S. justness system," Marco Antonio Oviedo, a elder minister, told reporters.

The kingpin was arrested successful an upscale vicinity of Santa Cruz, Bolivia's economical capital, successful an cognition that mobilized hundreds of constabulary officers, an AFP writer witnessed.

Four different radical were arrested successful the raids, which travel days aft Bolivia and 16 different countries joined an anti-cartel subject confederation launched by President Trump.

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 ton quantities of cocaine from South America to Europe, portion generating tens of millions successful currency and proceeds," according to the DEA.

Notorious Latin American narco trafficker Sebastian Marset, who eluded constabulary for years, was handed implicit to U.S. authorities aft his apprehension Friday successful Bolivia. DEA

The soccer-loving 34-year-old 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 besides Paraguay.

Both those countries had besides issued warrants for his arrest.

The United States issued a reward for his seizure past twelvemonth aft what it called "the largest and astir consequential organized transgression probe against cocaine trafficking successful Paraguayan history."

Marset is accused of starring a transgression web that imported much than 16 tons of cocaine into Europe.

The Paraguayan probe reportedly revealed him asking proposal successful substance messages connected however to vanish the bodies of murdered enemies.

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.

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.

Bolivian information authorities transportation retired an cognition to apprehension alleged Uruguayan cause trafficker Sebastian Marset, accused of starring the First Uruguayan Cartel and wanted by Interpol for organized transgression and wealth laundering charges, successful Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, March 13, 2026. Ipa Ibanez/REUTERS

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.

Marset is the 2nd Latin American narco brag to beryllium killed oregon captured successful nether a month.

U.S. quality contributed to his capture.

The apprehension comes conscionable weeks aft notorious cartel person Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, also known arsenic "El Mencho," was killed during an cognition successful the occidental authorities of Jalisco. He had a $15 million U.S. bounty connected his caput and was killed successful a subject shootout.

In:

• Drug Cartels
• Bolivia