Two men suspected of belonging to a robbery gang that operated in several communities in the department of Canindeyú were arrested on Tuesday morning in National Police operations. Alessandro Simao Bloch, 23, was detained at his home in Colônia Anahi, Corpus Christi district, and Antonio Varela Giret, 47, was located on a rural road in the city of La Paloma.
The gang targeted silos, homes, and warehouses in La Paloma, Katueté, Corpus Christi, and surrounding areas. Their modus operandi was to force victims, at gunpoint, to make large bank transfers via mobile apps. In one attack on a silo, the criminals transferred 100 million guaranis to their accounts. In another case, a warehouse owner was forced to transfer 28 million guaranis, and in a home, residents lost 10 million guaranis.
The investigations were led by Chief Commissioner César Diarte of the Canindeyú Investigations Unit, with support from informants and technological resources. During the searches, clothing, shoes, and cell phones were seized and will undergo forensic examination to confirm their connection to the crimes. The detainees have been placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office, and police continue to search for the other gang members, who have already been identified.