A Brazilian Air Force officer travelling with President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil to the G20 Summit was on Tuesday night arrested after he was caught with 39 kilograms of cocaine.
According to a statement released by the Brazilian Defense Ministry, the officer identified as 38-year-old Sergeant Silva Rodrigues was arrested in Seville, Spain when the back up plane travelling to Osaka made a stop-over.
“The Defense Ministry informs that on Tuesday June 25th, an Air Force officer suspected of transporting narcotic substances was detained in the Seville airport in Spain. We are investigating the facts and are launching a military police inquiry,” the statement said.
President Bolsonaro, who was travelling on a separate plane reacted to the arrest via Twitter, asking the Defense Ministry to cooperate with Spanish authorities and that if proven guilty, the officer should be judged and convicted by law.
Brazilian Vice-President, Hamilton Mourao told reporters in Brasilia on Wednesday that going by the amount of drugs the arrested officer had on him, he was a qualified drug mule.
“It’s obvious that, given the amount of drugs he had on him, that he didn’t just buy them around the corner and take them with him. He was working as a qualified drug mule, let’s put it that way,” Mourao said.
According to CNN affiliate, Record TV, Silva is currently in the custody of Spanish authorities who are holding him without bail.
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