A 42-year-old man with a history of criminal convictions was charged this week after police raided a suspected drug den in Montevideo’s city center. The raid followed a violent shootout between two men at the location, which left a third person injured and hospitalized.
Police had been monitoring the property on Yaguarón and La Paz streets after receiving tips it was a major drug distribution point. During the search, they seized 5 grams of cocaine base, $100, and a cell phone. The suspect, who has eight prior convictions, including two for drug-related offenses and one for homicide, was taken into custody.
The man’s arrest was ordered by Prosecutor Stella Llorente, who charged him with aggravated drug trafficking due to the operation’s location being a known drug hotspot. He was remanded in custody for 120 days pending further investigation.
Drug Gang Rivalry Suspected
Police sources revealed that the shootout was likely linked to a turf war between rival gangs – one allegedly controlled by Cubans and Dominicans operating from the Yaguarón and La Paz corner, and another group based near Piedra Alta Street, just a few blocks away.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities still looking into the circumstances surrounding the shootout and the roles of the two men involved, as well as the 36-year-old bystander who was injured and remains hospitalized with nine prior convictions.