Sebastián Enrique Marset Cabrera, one of the most notorious Latin American narco traffickers and a highly sought-after Uruguayan drug kingpin, was arrested early Friday morning in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. The capture on March 13, 2026, ends a years-long international manhunt for the 34-year-old fugitive. Following the dawn raid, Bolivian authorities immediately handed Marset over to United States agents for extradition.
The meticulously coordinated operation mobilized hundreds of Bolivian police officers, special forces, and snipers. Led by Bolivia’s Special Force for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking (FELCN), law enforcement descended upon an upscale neighborhood where Marset had established a hideout. According to officials, the raid was executed entirely by local police with no involvement from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on the ground, though it was coordinated with U.S. intelligence. The operation resulted in the arrest of four additional individuals linked to his network, and no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Following his apprehension, Marset was transported to Viru Viru Airport in Santa Cruz. State television captured footage of him being transferred into the custody of DEA agents before boarding a U.S.-bound airplane. Senior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo confirmed to reporters that the arrest and subsequent deportation fulfilled a court order issued by the U.S. justice system.
The arrest represents a significant milestone for regional security. Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz celebrated the capture during a press briefing in La Paz, describing it as a crucial moment in the fight against organized crime and mafias. Paz noted that Marset was recognized as one of the top four criminals on the continent. The raid occurred just days after Bolivia and 16 other nations joined a new anti-cartel military alliance launched by President Trump.
The King of the South and International Smuggling
Marset, who famously proclaimed himself the “King of the South” and stamped the title on his cocaine blocks, has been a priority target globally. He was listed among the DEA’s top five most-wanted fugitives. In May 2025, the U.S. State Department announced a $2 million reward for information leading to his capture, while Bolivia offered a $100,000 bounty in 2023.
Authorities in the Eastern District of Virginia unsealed an indictment accusing Marset of leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization. He is alleged to have orchestrated the movement of ton quantities of cocaine from South America into European countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. In one notable seizure, authorities discovered nearly 16 tons of cocaine tied to his network at the Belgian port of Antwerp. The U.S. charges focus heavily on his role in laundering tens of millions of dollars in illicit proceeds through American banks.
Beyond drug trafficking, Marset is deeply implicated in violent organized crime. Paraguayan authorities identified him as a central figure in their largest anti-drug investigation. Furthermore, he is accused of orchestrating the 2022 assassination of Marcelo Pecci, a Paraguayan anti-mafia prosecutor shot and killed while on his honeymoon in Colombia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly accused Marset of being the mastermind behind the murder.
A History of Evading Law Enforcement
Marset’s criminal trajectory began with a 2013 drug conviction in Uruguay, resulting in several years in prison. During his incarceration, he reportedly forged alliances with Brazil’s Primeiro Comando da Capital and Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta mafia. After his release in 2019, he moved to Paraguay using a fake Bolivian passport under the alias Gabriel de Souza Beuner to establish smuggling routes.
In 2021, Marset was detained in Dubai for traveling with a fraudulent passport. However, he legally departed the United Arab Emirates days later after Uruguayan officials provided him with a new passport, sparking a controversy that forced official resignations in Uruguay.
Fleeing to Bolivia in 2022 under the Brazilian alias Paulo Amim Santos, Marset embedded himself in the community. He acquired a second-division football team in Santa Cruz and played in televised matches. In July 2023, he narrowly escaped a police raid on his mansion, having seemingly been tipped off in advance.
While on the run, Marset taunted authorities with mocking videos. In one brazen act, he arranged for a Uruguayan television presenter to fly via helicopter to his hideout for an interview. Friday’s successful raid finally brought the elusive fugitive’s time on the run to an end.
