Six adults—three men and three women—were accused in a federal narcotics case after two raids dismantled two suspected retail drug sale points in Cipolletti’s Barrio 1200 Viviendas.[1] Police carried out the procedures on Monday afternoon between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at two homes in the northern part of the city, with the COER special operations group carrying out the entries and providing security.[2] All six people were formally notified that a case had been opened against them for suspected violation of Law 23,737, the narcotics statute, and remained subject to forthcoming judicial rulings.[1] No one was reported to have been detained in the operation.[3]

Inside the homes, police found cocaine and marijuana divided into wrappers for sale and seized two scales, cutting and portioning equipment, and ten mobile phones for analysis.[2] Officers also seized a .22-calibre Bersa pistol, cartridges of various calibres and more than 700,000 pesos in cash in mixed banknotes, placing all items at the disposal of the federal courts.[2] During one of the searches, officers found three wild animals kept in captivity—a parrot and two tortoises—and provincial wildlife staff confiscated them under Provincial Law 5,796.[1]

The inquiry began with information submitted to the 0800-333-4124 hotline of the Secretariat of Narcocriminality, part of Río Negro’s Ministry of Security and Justice, prompting Cipolletti’s Alto Valle Oeste anti-narcotics unit to investigate.[1] Investigators spent three months gathering intelligence and evidence under the direction of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in General Roca, through its Simple Cases unit, before a guarantees judge authorised the search warrants.[3] The operation resulted from coordinated work among the Río Negro Police, the provincial Secretariat of Narcocriminality and the Roca federal prosecutor’s office.[2]