Argentina detains former ANMAT and INAME officials in fentanyl probe

fentanyl contamination ANMAT INAME Ministry of Health raid HLB Pharma

Two former regulators – Nélida Agustina Bisio, ex‑head of the National Administration of Drugs, Foods and Medical Technology (ANMAT), and Gabriela Mantecón Fumado, former director of the National Institute of Medicines (INAME) – were detained by Argentine authorities. Their arrests were ordered by federal judge Ernesto Kreplak, who also authorized a raid on the Ministry of Health to seize documentation on the movement of fentanyl batches in 2023‑2024.

The investigation focuses on contaminated fentanyl produced by HLB Pharma Group and Laboratorios Ramallo, companies linked to businessman Ariel García Furfaro. Prosecutors allege the adulterated product caused at least 114 deaths and more than 50 serious injuries across several provinces. The judge has named García Furfaro a co‑author of the crime and imposed asset freezes and preventive detention on him and several associates. The Ministry of Health has cooperated by providing the requested records, while the case continues under secrecy of the proceedings.

Entities: ANMAT · Ariel García Furfaro · Ernesto Kreplak · Gabriela Mantecón Fumado · HLB Pharma · HLB Pharma Group · Laboratorios Ramallo · Mario Lugones · Ministry of Health (Argentina) · Nélida Agustina Bisio

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 5 SOURCES] Judge Ernesto Kreplak presides over Federal Court No. 3 in La Plata. (judge's role)
[● 5 SOURCES] A raid was conducted on Argentina's Ministry of Health by order of federal judge Ernesto Kreplak. (raid on Ministry of Health)
[● 3 SOURCES] At least 114 deaths have been linked to the contaminated fentanyl. (death toll)
[● 5 SOURCES] Nélida Agustina Bisio and Gabriela Mantecón Fumado were detained. (detention of former ANMAT and INAME officials)
[● 5 SOURCES] More than 50 patients suffered serious injuries from the contaminated fentanyl. (injury count)
[● 5 SOURCES] The investigation concerns contaminated fentanyl produced by HLB Pharma Group and Laboratorios Ramallo. (source of contaminated fentanyl)
[● 5 SOURCES] Ariel García Furfaro, owner of HLB Pharma Group and Laboratorios Ramallo, is being prosecuted as a co‑author of the fentanyl adulteration crime. (prosecution of business owner)
[● 5 SOURCES] The Ministry of Health provided requested documentation on 2023‑2024 entries and exits related to the fentanyl case. (Ministry cooperation)