According to a report by Ultima Hora, a million-dollar shipment of weight-loss drugs, allegedly smuggled from Paraguay, was seized by Brazil's Federal Highway Police (PRF) on the BR-277 highway in the metropolitan region of Curitiba. The operation resulted in the capture of 1,288 vials of tirzepatide, in addition to 2,670 units of anabolic steroids and other illegal goods.
The cargo was hidden in a truck with Paraguayan license plates, stopped during a routine inspection. The driver, a 25-year-old Brazilian, initially said he was traveling empty to Araucária to load limestone. However, officers noticed nervousness and contradictions in his account, leading to a more detailed search.
During the inspection, secret compartments and false bottoms were found on the sides of the vehicle, where the boxes of medications and steroids were hidden. Faced with the evidence, the driver confessed he knew about the clandestine transport. He was arrested and taken, along with the seized material, to the Federal Police headquarters in Curitiba, where he will face charges of smuggling and crimes against public health.
Brazilian authorities point out that the illegal trafficking of weight-loss drugs from Paraguay has intensified in recent months, driven by increased demand for tirzepatide and the large price difference between the two countries.