An armed group carried out a commando-style heist on Tuesday morning, May 26, in Ciudad del Este, Alto Paraná, stealing an estimated US$200,000 from employees of the importer Vía Brasil. The incident occurred around 8:50 a.m. near the underpass at the former kilometer 5.5 mark of Route PY02, when the victims were intercepted while en route to a bank to make a deposit.
Between four and five hooded men wearing tactical vests and carrying firearms approached the company employees. Vía Brasil specializes in importing and distributing perfumes. The victims were traveling in a Citroën vehicle with license plate AANP 317. Chief Commissioner Arnaldo Irala confirmed that the criminals made off with two sealed bags containing the money intended for the bank.
The assailants used a black 2019 Toyota Fortuner pickup truck with Mercosur license plate AEWV 128 to carry out the interception and flee the scene. After the crime, the vehicle was abandoned near the Japanese Association in the San José neighborhood, approximately eight blocks from the robbery site. Investigations by the Vehicle Department indicate that the pickup had been reported stolen in Asunción on April 21 and was being driven with irregular documentation at the time of the attack.
The National Police is reviewing security camera footage from the area to reconstruct the suspects' escape route and identify those responsible for the crime. Although the exact amount awaits final official confirmation, initial investigations point to a total of US$200,000. The precision of the ambush and the use of a high-end vehicle suggest the criminals possessed detailed information about the company's financial movements.