Salto police arrested three men carrying 209 sacks of plant material, presumed to be marijuana, in a Chevrolet Corsa at the junction of Rutas 4 and 31 in Salto department.[1][2] The operation was run by the Salto police command, its investigations directorate and Base 2 of the departmental rural security brigade.[1][2] The three detainees were handed to the courts, and the 209 sacks were to be analysed to confirm what they contained.[1][2]

The operation began around 11:00 on 11 September when Base 2 officers went to kilometre 79 of national route 31 and found the Chevrolet Corsa with three men inside.[1] One occupant, an adult man with a criminal record, was arrested at the car while the other two fled into a private property.[1] Two officers chased the pair on foot and caught them five kilometres from where they fled, inside a private property.[1][2] All three detainees live in Río Branco, in Cerro Largo department.[1]

A primary search of the car found several bags of plant material, which La Prensa counted as 209 nylon bags of marijuana.[1] The bags were counted as 209 nylon sacks of marijuana, and the load weighed and tested at the Salto prosecutor’s office, where the three detainees were also taken for questioning.[3] La Prensa reported that the three detainees were brought before the criminal judge handling the case the same day.[3]

La Prensa reported the load as weighing some 500 kilograms and said the drug was expected to be sent to Montevideo to be burned.[3]