Two former employees of DNIT, Paraguay's tax and customs authority, have been ordered to stand trial on charges of extortion and corruption at the Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Luque. Judge Humberto Otazú ruled that Francisco Javier Acosta Rolón, the former head of the Customs Division, and Juan Andrés Arroyos Bázquez, the former interim administrator, will face a public oral trial.
The charges were brought by prosecutor Verónica Valdez, based on a complaint from Julio César Silvano Delgado, the managing partner of the remittance company Geomil Express Py SRL. According to the account, in July 2025, the officials demanded extra cash payments to release a shipment from Spain, initially asking for $2,030 and later reducing the amount to $1,700.
Silvano paid $1,200 in Guaraní, equivalent to G 9.36 million at the day's exchange rate, directly to Acosta, but did not pay the remainder. During a surprise search of the DNIT offices at the airport on July 15, 2025, authorities seized $50,395, G 22.8 million, and other amounts in foreign currencies, along with documents with handwritten notes.
The two accused were detained on the same day as the operation and remain on trial for the crimes of passive corruption and extortion. The defense for both men unsuccessfully attempted to have the case dismissed through appeals, which were rejected by Judge Otazú.