Scandal on the border: the head of the Bella Unión branch was intercepted for smuggling Brazilian merchandise

By Jesus Vargas

The law of reverse in the north: when the person in charge of security is the one who circumvents the controls

The border between Uruguay and Brazil once again became the scene of an episode that embarrasses the country's security institutions. In a procedure that exposes the ethical vulnerability of certain commanders, officials of the Salto Customs Administration detected a maneuver of contraband in Bella Unión led by none other than the officer in charge of the local Seventh Section. The incident not only reveals the magnitude of ant trafficking in the area, but also puts under scrutiny the impunity with which some troops operate in the bordering areas, taking advantage of their investiture for personal purposes.

The escape attempt and the firmness of customs

The event took place at the border crossing that connects Bella Unión with the Brazilian town of Barra do Quaraí. There, the police chief, who was traveling accompanied by his partner, was intercepted by the Northern Regional Customs during a routine control. When cornered by his own colleagues from the State, the official would have attempted a desperate maneuver: abandoning the merchandise in the middle of the bridge to separate himself from the crime and avoid the administrative and judicial consequences.

However, the Salta customs officers maintained the rigor of the protocol, preventing the cash from getting rid of the evidence. The load, consisting of about 200 liters of paint of Brazilian origin distributed in 20 large containers, was immediately detained. This type of input, whose difference in price It is abysmal compared to the national market, it is part of the constant flow of customs violations that bleed local commerce, but which takes on a criminal tinge when the person transporting it is a high-ranking official.

Between impunity and judicial protection

The seriousness of the event is not limited to the economic value of what was seized, but to the network of influences that surrounds the protagonists. The case has been referred to the Prosecutor's office on duty of Salto to guarantee the impartiality of the process, given that the partner of the police officer involved has ties to the Bella Unión tax headquarters. This transfer of jurisdiction is a necessary step to avoid possible “shielding” institutional in an area where ties of neighborhood and kinship often hinder justice.

The performance of the Northern Customs Regional has been key. By drawing up the minutes and providing for the preventive retention of the cargo, they have sent a message Of course: the police badge is not a pass for illegality. He Home Office He must now answer whether this official will continue to lead a section after having been caught in flagrante delicto, a fact that erodes the trust of citizens in the National Police.

A system that needs urgent audit

The episode of contraband in Bella Unión It does not seem to be an isolated event, but rather the symptom of a chronic lack of control in the dry borders and international bridges in northern Uruguay. As the city's small merchants struggle to stay afloat in the face of unfair competition from Brazil, those who should be patrolling and preventing these crimes appear to be more concerned with their own finances than with compliance with the law.

The merchandise remains in custody and it is expected that in the next hours the corresponding hearings are held. Uruguayan society, and especially the community of Bella Unión, is waiting for a firm signal from the judicial system and the Customs authorities, who until now have maintained a secrecy that fuels uncertainty. The prestige of the police force in the department is at stake, and only an exemplary sanction will be able to restore some of the credibility lost at this border crossing.