Paraguayan Truck Loaded with Contraband Seized at Brazil‑Argentina Bridge

Brazilian customs officials seized a Paraguayan‑registered truck on the International Friendship Bridge in Foz do Iguaçu. The vehicle had been abandoned and was found with a hidden false compartment in its roof containing a mixed cargo of contraband worth about R$ 500 million. Items seized included diet pills, cosmetic drugs, smartphones, electronic cigarettes, automotive parts, electronic equipment and, notably, agricultural pesticides stored together with medicines, a violation of sanitary regulations that posed a public‑health risk.

The truck and its cargo were taken to the Federal Revenue’s customs yard for further processing. Authorities highlighted the danger of the improper storage of pesticides alongside pharmaceutical products and emphasized the ongoing need to combat cross‑border smuggling.

The operation underscores Brazil’s efforts to monitor illicit trade through its border crossings, especially at high‑traffic points such as the Friendship Bridge linking Brazil and Paraguay.