Gendarmería Nacional officers of Squadron 21 “La Quiaca” were patrolling in the sector called Paso Internacional Tripartito “Zapaleri”, on the border where Argentina, Bolivia and Chile meet in the puna of Jujuy province.[1] It was night in a remote part of the puna, an inhospitable area with temperatures below zero and no telephone coverage.[1] The patrol took place on 17 November 2024, according to El Tribuno de Jujuy, some three days before the government release appeared.[2] The gendarmes saw three pickups driving in convoy without lights and tried to stop them, but the drivers accelerated towards the neighbouring countries and a controlled pursuit began.[1] The gendarmes caught up with a Toyota Hilux heading for the border with Chile, and its occupants left it and fled on foot.[3] No arrests were reported in the operation.[2]

Because of the surrounding puna’s remoteness, the gendarmes used a satellite telephone to contact the Unidad Fiscal Federal, the federal prosecution office in the province, which authorised taking the vehicle to the squadron’s base.[1] Inside, officers found 15 burlap sacks holding 256 packages of a plant substance, along with fuel cans, food boxes and water bottles.[1] The sacks were light blue and the substance was greenish-brown, with 256 packages in all.[3] Field narcotest checks and weighing gave a total of 271 kilos 100 grams of “cannabis sativa”, a figure the government release and the Jujuy outlets all report.[1] Communications with Chile’s Policía de Investigaciones showed that the Toyota had been reported stolen in Chile.[3] The federal prosecution office ordered the case file opened and the cannabis and the stolen pickup seized.[1] El Tribuno de Jujuy placed the interception near the Zapaleri tripartite crossing in Rinconada department.[4] Somos Jujuy’s account of the same force report adds that the pickup’s occupants fled on foot.[5]