Dionisio Manuel Cáceres Cabrera, known as “Manu,” was arrested on Sunday, September 6, during an operation in the Santa Lucía neighborhood of Itacurubí, in the Cordillera department. The 38-year-old football businessman had been wanted since February 17 as part of Operation Nexus II and is being investigated for alleged participation in the structure associated with Uruguayan national Sebastián Marset.
The operation was carried out by the National Police’s Anti-Narcotics Department at a residence in the municipality. Cáceres Cabrera was placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the court handling the case. He was subject to an arrest warrant related to Law No. 1,340, which provides sanctions for drug-related crimes.
Investigators say that “Manu” allegedly acted as Marset’s secretary and close associate, while also performing operational roles within the network. The accusation remains under investigation and does not represent a judicial conviction.
Cáceres Cabrera also maintained ties to Paraguayan football. He was Rubio Ñu’s sporting director and a businessman in the sector, and investigators are examining whether he participated in Marset’s arrival at Deportivo Capiatá. The case also involves other people linked to football, including former Olimpia and Paraguay national-team goalkeeper Víctor Centurión.
According to the investigative theory, the structure allegedly used the sporting environment to move funds and tried to reactivate old cocaine-trafficking routes. The investigation seeks to identify the organization’s members and clarify how it operated logistically and financially.
Authorities also link the group to an international trafficking network with operations attributed to countries including Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal. Information about Cáceres Cabrera’s specific role and the extent of this activity still depends on the progress of the investigation and judicial decisions.