'Drug-timber' case: Prosecution to raid nine companies and summon four witnesses in Bolivia
Bolivian prosecutors plan to conduct up to 50 raids in four departments over drugs found in timber seized at Chilean ports.
Operations in four departments over drug shipment seized in Chile
Seven raids have already been carried out in Santa Cruz since last Friday, according to El Deber, as part of investigations into the case dubbed 'drug-timber': narcotics soaked into timber that was seized at the Chilean ports of Arica, Valparaíso and San Antonio.
The prosecutor for Controlled Substances, Julio César Porras, announced that the prosecution plans to raid up to nine shipping companies in Santa Cruz to determine their possible involvement in drug trafficking. "I want to see which shipping companies have participated and, based on that, I am going to start working on the seized drugs. In Santa Cruz we have at least eight or nine companies to investigate," the prosecutor stated.
On Tuesday, a raid was carried out on the warehouses of an exporting company located in the southern zone of the capital of Santa Cruz, identified as one of those flagged by Chilean authorities. Prosecutor Porras confirmed that pieces of timber and documentation were seized for expert analysis.
The investigations are being conducted simultaneously in four departments of the country: Santa Cruz, Pando, Beni and Cochabamba, from where the drug-laden shipment allegedly departed. In total, the prosecution projects carrying out around 50 search and seizure operations.
As part of Tuesday's proceedings, summonses were issued for four people linked to the companies under investigation: the proprietor, a legal representative and two workers, who must appear to testify as witnesses. Since the start of the operations, representatives of other firms have also been notified to provide statements.
Source: El Deber