Uruguayan drug trafficker extradited after escaping from house arrest in Salto
Carlos Damián Araujo, detained in Concordia with cocaine and ammunition, was handed over to Uruguay following an extradition process coordinated with INTERPOL.
Uruguayan citizen extradited after being captured in Argentina with drugs and ammunition
On Tuesday, 20 October, the extradition of Carlos Damián Araujo, a Uruguayan citizen detained in Concordia with cocaine, ammunition and other items seized during a police operation in Entre Ríos, was completed. According to despertarentrerriano.com, Araujo was wanted by his country's justice system to serve a sentence for drug trafficking and arms trafficking offences.
Araujo had fled in February 2026 from house arrest in Salto, Uruguay, where he was serving a sentence of five years and six months for receiving stolen goods, unlicenced trafficking in firearms and ammunition, and supplying prohibited narcotics.
On 23 March of this year he was apprehended in the area of Belgrano Sur neighbourhood and the Manzores stream, pursuant to a red notice from INTERPOL. At the time of his capture, police forces seized cocaine, ammunition, a precision scale and cash. The operation also resulted in criminal charges in the province of Entre Ríos for possession of narcotics with intent to distribute.
An international warrant issued by Uruguayan justice authorities weighed against the accused for his repatriation, as he still had more than four years of his pending sentence to serve. The judicial process was handled by the Federal Court of Concordia, presided over by judge Analía Ramponi.
In July 2026, Argentine justice had formally authorised the extradition, although the actual handover was subject to the resolution of pending local cases.
The transfer to Uruguayan authorities was finally completed via the international border crossing Gualeguaychú-Fray Bentos, with coordination between the Argentine Federal Police and INTERPOL and the collaboration of the Consulate of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
Despite his extradition, Araujo remains linked to the ongoing criminal investigation in the province of Entre Ríos, where he is alleged to have been in possession of narcotics with intent to distribute.
Source: Google News UY — Crime