1.1 tonnes of marijuana seized on a Paysandú estate; three held, two sentenced
Uruguay's Anti-Drug Brigade raided a rural estate in northern Paysandú department in September 2020 and seized 1,103.2 kg of marijuana, along with 40 kg of cannabis seeds and two pickups. A 28-year-old man was jailed for 2 years and 10 months, a 32-year-old woman received 20 months under supervised release, and a 40-year-old man was freed.
The Anti-Drug Brigade of the Paysandú departmental police seized a tonne of
marijuana in Paysandú on Thursday 17 September 2020.[1]Under an operation
named Patriarca, officers searched a rural estate in the north of the department
and detained a 40-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman.[2]
They found exactly 1,103.2 kg of marijuana in 15 large sacks and 5 woven plastic
bags, la diaria rounding the total to 1,103 kilos.[2]Officers also seized 40
kg of cannabis seeds, 1 kg of pressed marijuana and 68 grams of buds.[2]The
haul included a digital scale, a .380 pistol with six cartridges, a Magnum rifle
with 45 cartridges, mobile phones, 11,400 Argentine pesos and 300 Uruguayan
pesos.[2]Police also took a Volkswagen Saveiro pickup and a Chevrolet S10
pickup.[1]
A second search at a home in the east of Paysandú led to the detention of a
28-year-old man, whom la diaria places in a dwelling in the same northern
locality.[2]
The local court convicted the 28-year-old of a continuing offence of trafficking
prohibited narcotic substances in the form of dealing and sentenced him to 2
years and 10 months in prison.[2]The 32-year-old woman received 20 months of
prison to be served under supervised release, while the 40-year-old man was
freed and remained summoned to court.[2]
Photos and video
Photo published with the report on the Paysandú seizure and captioned by the publisher as a photo of the Paysandú police headquarters. Photo: Jefatura de Policía de PaysandúPhoto details
Subrayado gives the weight found on the estate as exactly 1,103.2 kg, while la diaria rounds it to 1,103 kilos; the precise figure is used.
The kg_seized total adds the 1,103.2 kg of marijuana, 1 kg of pressed marijuana and 68 grams of buds that both accounts list separately; the 40 kg of seeds are recorded as a seed product and left out of the weight.
The sources say the seizure happened 'in recent hours' and 'this Thursday'; 17 September 2020 is the Thursday before the 18 September 2020 publication dates.
The two accounts place the second search differently: Subrayado in a home in the east of Paysandú, la diaria in a dwelling in the same northern locality as the estate, so the precise location of the 28-year-old's arrest is uncertain.
The 40-year-old was released and left 'emplazado', meaning summoned to appear before the court if required; no charge against him is stated.
The 32-year-old's 20 months are described as prison to be served under libertad vigilada, which in Uruguay is a supervised conditional sentence rather than ordinary custody; only the 28-year-old is recorded as given a penitentiary term.
Neither account gives the estate's exact location or area, a street value for the marijuana, or whether the material was burned; la diaria's mention of a 'same locality' to the north is not precise enough for a coordinates entry.
The Subrayado photo address could not be linked directly because the live page refused access, and the only direct image address recovered is the la diaria one captioned as the Paysandú police headquarters, which is not confirmed to show the seized marijuana.
Both accounts appear to draw on the same Paysandú police and court release; la diaria's text is the fuller second account but does not add an independent statement.
Maldonado police reported 90 anti-drug raids leading to 104 people charged or convicted and 47 drug sale points dismantled. The operations seized 30 kilograms of marijuana along with cocaine, vehicles, firearms and cash.
Police found 2.320 kilos of marijuana and other drugs, phones and routers near a module of Unit 4 of Uruguay's national rehabilitation institute, the former Comcar prison, in Montevideo on 23 August 2026. The Ministry of the Interior valued the combined haul at about US$330,000, and the case moved to a narcotics prosecutor investigating collusion by prison staff, soldiers and prisoners.
Anti-drug police raided a drug storage and processing residence in Maldonado Nuevo on 21 May 2026 under Operation Jacobo, seizing 7.5 kilograms of marijuana alongside 4.5 kilograms of cocaine. Officers also confiscated three modified Glock pistols, more than 550 rounds of ammunition and 140,000 Uruguayan pesos as prosecutors investigated the Maldonado and San Carlos network.
Operation Fortuna intercepted 11 postal shipments and seized about 63 kg of hashish sent from the United States, then police detained 13 people in raids across Montevideo, Canelones and Rocha. A court formalized proceedings against 12 detainees and ordered 120 days of preventive detention, while the remaining detainee was released.
