The Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating an alleged cattle smuggling scheme after nine trucks were held at checkpoints on April 7 and 8, 2026. The case came to light this week, more than a month after the events, and involves a person with family ties in the leadership of the Colorado Party.
The Commission for the Fight against Cattle Rustling and Control of Cattle Trafficking (Colcat), part of the Rural Association of Paraguay (ARP), forwarded a union complaint with inspection records to cattle-rustling prosecutor Irán Suarez, pointing out inconsistencies in transit guides and complementary brands. The animals were being transported from Curuguaty, in Canindeyú, to Boquerón, in the Chaco.
Of the nine loads, five went through a second check at the Cerrito post in the Chaco region, and four were held at the Colcat post in 25 de Diciembre, San Pedro, under investigation for possible smuggling. Prosecutor Suarez confirmed he is awaiting the Colcat report on the documentary irregularities verified in Cerrito.
The four trucks held in San Pedro generated a separate case, handled by prosecutor Alexander Argüello. According to him, 15 animals were found without the required documentation at the time of inspection. The cattle were seized and handed over to a court-appointed depositary while the investigation proceeds. The animals had brands on the right side, considered evidence of smuggling.
The alleged owner of the cattle is Bianca Judith Noria, a name that appears in the document sent by the ARP. According to the complaint, she is the sister of Colorado Senator for Canindeyú, Alfonso Noria, and the partner of the brother of the governor of Canindeyú, César “Tigre” Ramírez. Prosecutor Argüello reported that he has already requested reports from the National Service for Animal Quality and Health (Senacsa) and summoned the owner to give a statement.
Argüello stressed that “the crime cannot yet be confirmed” until the reports from Colcat and Senacsa arrive. The investigation seeks to determine the ownership of the brands and the owner’s cattle stock.
Senacsa, for its part, reported that it only received a request for information related to the held trucks on the afternoon of May 20. The service’s president, José Carlos Martín, initially said that no request had arrived, but the communication was later corrected by Martin Camperchioli. The ARP stated that it is awaiting official data from Senacsa before commenting, especially regarding the brands on the right side of the animals seized in 25 de Diciembre.