Peru: 317 kilos of cocaine seized from network linked to Sinaloa cartel

10:57 | Lima, Jun. 27.

The Peruvian Prosecutor's Office seized more than 317 kilos of high-purity cocaine hydrochloride as part of an investigation into a criminal network linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico's most dangerous drug trafficking organizations, the Public Ministry reported on Friday.

The seizure was carried out by the First Office of the Third Provincial Corporate Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Illicit Drug Trafficking Crimes of Callao, which managed to intercept a total of 317.88 kilograms of drugs packed in 270 brick-shaped packages, whose final destination was allegedly Europe.

The authorities did not disclose the exact location of the operation or whether any arrests were made, but specified that it is part of a broader operation aimed at dismantling a criminal network linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Prosecutor's Office continues with proceedings to identify all those involved in the criminal organization and clarify the logistical and financial links that connect local drug traffickers to the Mexican cartel.

Drugs and their serious effects on physical and mental health

Drug addiction is a disease that becomes chronic and, in many cases, can be fatal due to the progressive deterioration of many organs, said Milton Rojas, psychologist at the Information and Education Center for Drug Abuse Prevention (Cedro).

"Addiction must be defined as a disease. It is not a vice or a punishment. It is a disease that undermines not only mental health, but also the cardiovascular system, the liver, among others, all of which are seriously compromised," he stated.

The psychologist explained that the death rate from cocaine is high; however, there is significant underreporting in our context.

"Many people die from heart failure or respiratory arrest caused by cocaine use, but this is not listed as the cause of death," he said.

Approximately 70% of those who develop severe addiction have pre-existing conditions.

"That is widely documented. Those conditions include depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. In (cases of) alcoholism especially, there are preexisting personality traits that make certain people more prone to becoming hooked on this drug," the Cedro specialist indicated.

Rojas said that some people have a physiology that is vulnerable to drug use —a "biological proclivity" they may not even be aware of— which, when triggered by the necessary stimulus —in this case, frequent use of a substance— manifests earlier and more intensely.

?? #LoÚltimo | Tercera Fiscalía Provincial Corporativa Especializada en Delitos de Tráfico Ilícito de Drogas del Callao (Primer Despacho) logró el decomiso de 317.88 kilos de clorhidrato de cocaína de alta pureza, acondicionados en 270 paquetes tipo ladrillo, cuyo destino sería… pic.twitter.com/HhSo59Q51j
— Ministerio Público (@FiscaliaPeru) June 27, 2025